Fish Oil Supplements Lower SLE Symptoms

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http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/488189

 

Fish Oil Supplements Lower SLE Symptoms

 

 

Reuters Health Information 2004. © 2004 Reuters Ltd.

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Aug 27 - Dietary supplementation with fish oil

may be beneficial in modifying symptomatic disease activity in patients

with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Copper supplements, however, make

no difference, according to results of a study published in the August

issue of the Journal of Rheumatology.

 

" Fish oil supplementation has a beneficial effect on murine models of SLE,

while exogenous copper can decrease the formation of lupus erythematosus

cells in rats with a hydralazine-induced collagen disease, " Dr. Aubrey L.

Bell, of Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and

colleagues explain.

 

To investigate any clinical effects of fish oils and/or copper, the

researchers conducted a double-blind controlled study with 52 SLE patients.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive daily 3 mg MaxEPA --

" roughly equivalent to two oily fish-based meals per week " -- and 3 mg

copper; 3 mg MaxEPA and placebo copper: 3 mg copper and placebo fish oil,

or both placebo capsules.

 

Each 1-gram MaxEPA capsules (Seven Seas Ltd.; UK) contains 180 mg

eicosapentaenoic acid, 120 mg docosahexaenoic acid, and 1 IU vitamin E.

 

The team took serial measurements of disease activity using the revised

Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM-R) and peripheral blood samples at

baseline, 6, 12, and 24 weeks.

 

Compared to patients taking placebo, those taking fish oil experienced a

significant decline in SLAM-R score from 6.12 to 4.69 at 24 weeks (p <

0.05). " The components of SLAM-R most affected by fish oil supplementation

were the integument, neuromotor, laboratory domains, " Dr. Bell and

colleagues report.

 

" Supplementation with copper showed a rise in SLAM-R score of less than 1

unit after 12 weeks, " which wasn't statistically significant.

 

Supplementation with fish oil or copper did not significantly affect blood

pressure, individual body mass index or hematological indices.

 

All patients who received an active supplement reported feeling better than

those who received placebo, the team reports.

 

J Rheumatol 2004;31:1551-1556.