Fish oil treatment of interferon-alpha-induced dyslipidaemia: study in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
Our study was designed to evaluate the role of omega-3 fatty acids (OFAs) in reducing serum triglyceride levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving treatment with interferon-alpha (IFNalpha).


METHODS
52 patients (23 males, 29 females) with chronic hepatitis C were randomly assigned to nonblind treatment with IFNalpha 3 million units (MU) three times weekly alone (group A) or in combination with OFAs 3 g/day for 6 months (group B).


RESULTS
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA serum levels decreased significantly in both groups compared with baseline, but there was no significant difference in HCV RNA levels between the 2 groups. At the end of treatment there was a statistically significant difference in ALT levels between patients in group A and in group B (72.15 vs 50.05 IU/L; p = 0.01). A statistically significant increase in triglyceride levels occurred in group A during treatment (p = 0.03 vs baseline). In contrast, a statistically significant decrease in triglyceride serum levels occurred in group B (p = 0.001 vs baseline).


CONCLUSIONS
Concurrent administration of OFAs reversed IFNalpha-induced hypertriglyceridaemia in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Malaguarnera
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, Italy.
Restuccia
N
N
Fazio
I D
ID
Panebianco
M P
MP
Gulizia
G
G
Giugno
I
I