Nutritional AMD treatment phase I (NAT-1): feasibility of oral DHA supplementation in age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To create a pilot study in order to evaluate the feasibility of a prospective case-control study of oral supplementation with fish oil (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]; eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) in a population with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).


METHODS
A homogeneous group of 38 patients with drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment in one eye (PED) without choroidal new vessels (CNV) was selected. A complete ophthalmologic examination, and a complete profile of fatty acids in serum (S) and in red blood cell membranes (RBCM), were recorded at day 0 and month 6. In group 1, 22 patients were orally supplemented with EPA (720 mg/day) and DHA (480 mg/day) during 6 months. In group 2, 16 patients were followed as controls. Nutritional recommendations on fish consumption were given to both groups.


RESULTS
In group 1, after 6 months supplementation we observed a significant blood enrichment in EPA (EPA-S: 2.20 vs 0.79, p<0.0001 and EPA-RBCM: 2.24 vs 0.85, p<0.0001) and in DHA (DHA-S: 2.47 vs 1.56, p<0.0001 and DHA-RBCM: 6.47 vs 4.67, p<0.0001). No change was observed in group 2 despite nutritional recommendations. In this short followup, no evolution to CNV was noted in either of the two groups. Neither side effects nor dropouts were observed in either of the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the feasibility of a long-term double-masked prospective case-control study in an AMD population in order to evaluate a potential benefit from oral supplementation with DHA.
Querques
G
G
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Paris XII, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Creteil, France. giuseppe.querques@hotmail.it
Benlian
P
P
Chanu
B
B
Portal
C
C
Coscas
G
G
Soubrane
G
G
Souied
E H
EH
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000188:drug therapy; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid