Fish Oil May Benefit Those With Lupus

[Harry Hirsute]

A randomised placebo-controlled interventional trial of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids on endothelial function and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Wright SA, O'prey FM, McHenry MT, Leahey WJ, Devine AB, Duffy EM, Johnston DG, Finch MB, Bell AL, McVeigh GE.

Musgrave Park Hospital, United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical effect of dietary supplementation with low dose omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids on disease activity and endothelial function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

METHODS: A 24 week randomised double-blind placebo-controlled parallel trial of the effect of 3g of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids on 60 patients with SLE was performed.

Serial measurements of disease activity using the revised Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM-R) and British Isles Lupus Assessment Group index of disease activity for SLE (BILAG), endothelial function using flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD), oxidative stress using platelet 8-isoprostanes and analysis of platelet membrane fatty acids were taken at baseline, 12 and 24 weeks.

RESULTS: In the fish oil group there was a significant improvement at 24 weeks in SLAM-R (from 9.4+/-3.0 to 6.3+/-2.5, p<0.001); in BILAG (from 13.6+/-6.0 to 6.7+/-3.8, p<0.001); in FMD (from 3.0% (-0.5-8.2) to 8.9% (1.3-16.9), p<0.001) and in platelet 8-isoprostanes (from 177pg/mg protein (23 - 387) to 90 pg/mg protein (32 - 182), p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS: Low dose dietary supplementation with omega-3 fish oils in SLE not only has a therapeutic effect on disease activity but also improves endothelial function and reduces oxidative stress and may therefore confer cardiovascular benefits.

Fish Oil and SLE