omega-3 Fatty acid treatment of women with borderline personality disorder: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA) and placebo in the treatment of female subjects with borderline personality disorder.


METHODS
The authors conducted an 8-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of E-EPA in 30 female subjects meeting Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines and DSM-IV criteria for borderline personality disorder.


RESULTS
Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to 1 g of E-EPA; 10 subjects were given placebo. Ninety percent of those in both groups completed all 8 weeks of the trial. Analyses that used random-effects regression modeling and controlled for baseline severity showed E-EPA to be superior to placebo in diminishing aggression as well as the severity of depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that E-EPA may be a safe and effective form of monotherapy for women with moderately severe borderline personality disorder.
Zanarini
Mary C
MC
Laboratory for the Study of Adult Development, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA. zanarini@mclean.harvard.edu
Frankenburg
Frances R
FR
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; C035276:eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl ester; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid