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

Stephen A Wright ^1*, Fiona M O'Prey ², Michelle T McHenry ¹, William J Leahey ², Adrian B Devine ², Emeir M Duffy ³, Dennis G Johnston ², Michael B Finch ¹, Aubrey L Bell ¹ and Gary E McVeigh ²

¹ Musgrave Park Hospital, United Kingdom
² Queens University Belfast, United Kingdom
³ University of Ulster, United Kingdom

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: drsawright{at}yahoo.co.uk.

Accepted 3 September 2007

Abstract

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.

Keywords: endothelial function, fish oils, SLE

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Guillot, N., Caillet, E., Laville, M., Calzada, C., Lagarde, M., Vericel, E. (2009). Increasing intakes of the long-chain {omega}-3 docosahexaenoic acid: effects on platelet functions and redox status in healthy men. FASEB J. 23: 2909-2916 [Abstract] [Full Text]