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Diet rich in omega-3 PUFAs
slightly improves COPD sx
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Clinical Question:
Can a dietary supplement rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids improve
symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
Bottom Line:
This small study found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids causes small
improvements in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms.
Reference:
Matsuyama W, Mitsuyama H, Watanabe M, et al. Effects of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids on inflammatory markers in COPD. Chest
2005;128:3817-827.
Study Design:
Randomized controlled trial (double-blinded)
Synopsis:
COPD, the fifth-leading cause of death worldwide, is characterized by
chronic inflammation. However, no available agent can effectively cure this
inflammation. A dietary supplement containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty
acids (PUFAs) has anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we hypothesized
that nutritional support with omega-3 PUFA-rich diets may be useful for
treating COPD, and we compared the clinical features and inflammatory
mediator levels between the COPD patients who received an omega-3 PUFA-rich
supplement and those who received a nonrich supplement. Sixty-four COPD
patients received 400 kilocalories per day of an omega-3 PUFA-rich
supplement (n-3 group) or an omega-3 PUFA-nonrich supplement (n-6 group) for
2 years. We prospectively investigated the clinical features of these
patients and measured the levels of inflammatory mediators. In 6-min walk
testing, the dyspnea Borg scale and decrease of arterial oxygen saturation
measured by pulse oximetry significantly improved in the n-3 group.
Leukotriene B4 levels in serum and sputum and tumor necrosis factor-alpha
and interleukin-8 levels in sputum decreased significantly in the n-3 group,
while there was no significant change in the n-6 group. Two patients in the
n-3 group and three patients in the n-6 group had mild diarrhea, and three
patients in the n-3 group and three patients in the n-6 group had nausea;
however, their symptoms were controllable and they improved with treatment.
With multiple regression analysis, it was proved that the omega-3 PUFA-rich
diet significantly contributed to the change in cytokine levels in this
study. |
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