Lack of efficacy of resveratrol on C-reactive protein and selected cardiovascular risk factors — Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Amirhossein Sahebkar a,b,1 , Corina Serban c,1 , Sorin Ursoniu d , Nathan D. Wong e , Paul Muntner f , Ian M. Graham g , Dimitri P. Mikhailidis h , Manfredi Rizzo i , Jacek Rysz j , Laurence S. Sperling k , Gregory Y.H. Lip l , Maciej Banach m, ⁎, Lipid and Blood Pressure Meta-analysis Collaboration (LBPMC) Group a Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran b Metabolic Research Centre, Royal Perth Hospital, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia c Department of Functional Sciences, Discipline of Pathophysiology, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania d Department of Functional Sciences, Discipline of Public Health, “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania e Heart Disease Prevention Program, Division of Cardiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA f Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA g Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands h Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Royal Free Campus, University College London Medical School, University College London (UCL), London, UK i Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Italy j Chair of Nephrology and Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Poland k Department of Medicine and Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA l University of Birmingham Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK m Department of Hypertension, Chair of Nephrology and Hypertension, Medical University of Lodz, Poland abstract article info Article history: Received 7 March 2015 Accepted 1 April 2015 Available online 1 April 2015 Keywords: Resveratrol C reactive protein CRP Antioxidants Inflammation Introduction: Numerous studies have suggested that oral supplementation with resveratrol exerts cardioprotective effects, but evidence of the effects on C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels and other cardio- vascular (CV) risk factors is inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of resveratrol supplementation on plasma CRP concentrations and selected predictors of CV risk. Methods: The search included PUBMED, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE (up to August 31, 2014) to identify RCTs investigating the effects of resveratrol supplementation on selected CV risk factors. Quantitative data synthesis was performed using a random-effects model, with weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) as summary statistics. Results: Meta-analysis of data from 10 RCTs (11 treatment arms) did not support a significant effect of resveratrol supplementation in altering plasma CRP concentrations (WMD: -0.144 mg/L, 95% CI: -0.968–0.680, p = 0.731). Resveratrol supplementation was not found to alter plasma levels of total cholesterol (WMD: 1.49 mg/dL, 95% CI: -14.96–17.93, p = 0.859), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD: -0.31 mg/dL, 95% CI: -9.57–8.95, p = 0.948), triglycerides (WMD: 2.67 mg/dL, 95% CI: -28.34–33.67, p = 0.866), and glucose (WMD: 1.28 mg/dL, 95% CI: -5.28–7.84, p = 0.703). It also slightly reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations (WMD: -4.18 mg/dL, 95% CI: -6.54 to -1.82, p = 0.001). Likewise, no significant effect was observed on systolic (WMD: 0.82 mm Hg, 95% CI: -8.86–10.50, p = 0.868) and diastolic blood pressure (WMD: 1.72 mm Hg, 95% CI: -6.29–9.73, p = 0.674). Conclusions: This meta-analysis of available RCTs does not suggest any benefit of resveratrol supplementation on CV risk factors. Larger, well-designed trials are necessary to confirm these results. © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a natural polyphe- nol with potential health benefits that is generally contained in grapes, peanuts, berries and Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) [1,2]. The levels of resveratrol differ considerably between plant species. In blueberries, resveratrol content is approximately 32 ng/g, which is International Journal of Cardiology 189 (2015) 47–55 ⁎ Corresponding author at: Department of Hypertension, WAM University Hospital in Lodz, Medical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego 113; 90-549 Lodz, Poland. E-mail address: maciejbanach@aol.co.uk (M. Banach). 1 Drs. Sahebkar and Serban contributed equally to this meta-analysis. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.04.008 0167-5273/© 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect International Journal of Cardiology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijcard