Table 3

Changes in MRI cartilage volume and bone marrow lesion area over 2 years of fish oil treatment

Intention to treatPer protocol
Low doseHigh dosep ValueLow doseHigh dosep Value
N56595345
Cartilage volume: proportion with a statistically significant change (least significant change) at 2 years†
 Decrease3 (5%)8 (14%)0.21*2 (4%)5 (11%)0.09*
 No change47 (84%)42 (71%)46 (87%)31 (69%) 
 Increase6 (11%)9 (15%)5 (10%)9 (20%) 
Bone marrow lesions: proportion with a clinically significant change at 2 years‡
 Decrease5 (9%)7 (13%)0.23*5 (10%)6 (14%)0.41*
 No change48 (87%)42 (76%)45 (87%)33 (77%)
 Increase2 (4%)6 (11%)2 (4%)4 (9%)
  • *p Values refer to comparisons between fish oil treatment groups.

  • †Least significant change33 was considered a change of >8% in either direction.

  • ‡Clinically significant was considered a change >140 mm2 in either direction, which corresponds to a one-unit change in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index score.25