title: Evening primrose oil and fish oil for severe chronic mastalgia: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of evening primrose oil and fish oil on breast pain in premenopausal women with severe chronic mastalgia, in a randomized double-blind factorial clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred twenty women were placed randomly into four groups: (1) fish oil and control oil, (2) evening primrose oil and control oil, (3) fish and evening primrose oils, or (4) both control oils during 6 months. Corn oil and corn oil with wheat germ oil were used as control oils. The change in the percentage of days with breast pain after 6 months of treatment was analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The decrease in days with pain was 12.3 % for evening primrose oil and 13.8% for its control oil (P =.73); the decrease in days with pain was 15.5% for fish oil and 10.6% for its control oil (P =.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All groups showed a decrease in pain. Neither evening primrose oil nor fish oil offered clear benefit over control oils in the treatment of mastalgia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Vrije Universiteit University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blommers
authors.forename: Elisabeth S m
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: de Lange-De Klerk
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kuik
authors.forename: Pieter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Bezemer
authors.forename: Sybren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meijer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003314:Corn Oil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D031665:Oenothera biennis; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000592:standards; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D005395:Fish Oils; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D010938:Plant Oils; C050055:wheat germ oil; C028498:evening primrose oil; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; D003314:Corn Oil