PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Vanessa Ha
AU  - John L. Sievenpiper
AU  - Russell J. de Souza
AU  - Viranda H. Jayalath
AU  - Arash Mirrahimi
AU  - Arnav Agarwal
AU  - Laura Chiavaroli
AU  - Sonia Blanco Mejia
AU  - Frank M. Sacks
AU  - Marco Di Buono
AU  - Adam M. Bernstein
AU  - Lawrence A. Leiter
AU  - Penny M. Kris-Etherton
AU  - Vladimir Vuksan
AU  - Richard P. Bazinet
AU  - Robert G. Josse
AU  - Joseph Beyene
AU  - Cyril W.C. Kendall
AU  - David J.A. Jenkins
TI  - Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
AID  - 10.1503/cmaj.131727
DP  - 2014 May 13
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - E252--E262
VI  - 186
IP  - 8
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/186/8/E252.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/186/8/E252.full
SO  - CMAJ2014 May 13; 186
AB  - Background: Evidence from controlled trials encourages the intake of dietary pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas) as a method of improving dyslipidemia, but heart health guidelines have stopped short of ascribing specific benefits to this type of intervention or have graded the beneficial evidence as low. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction.Methods: We searched electronic databases and bibliographies of selected trials for relevant articles published through Feb. 5, 2014. We included RCTs of at least 3 weeks’ duration that compared a diet emphasizing dietary pulse intake with an isocaloric diet that did not include dietary pulses. The lipid targets investigated were low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and non–high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol. We pooled data using a random-effects model.Results: We identified 26 RCTs (n = 1037) that satisfied the inclusion criteria. Diets emphasizing dietary pulse intake at a median dose of 130 g/d (about 1 serving daily) significantly lowered LDL cholesterol levels compared with the control diets (mean difference −0.17 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval −0.25 to −0.09 mmol/L). Treatment effects on apolipoprotein B and non-HDL cholesterol were not observed.Interpretation: Our findings suggest that dietary pulse intake significantly reduces LDL cholesterol levels. Trials of longer duration and higher quality are needed to verify these results. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT01594567.