title: DHA supplementation for late onset Stargardt disease: NAT-3 study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We analyzed the effects of a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in patients affected with late onset Stargardt disease (STGD).
  
  
  METHODS
  DHA (840 mg/day) was given to 20 STGD patients for six months. A complete ophthalmologic examination, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG), was performed at inclusion day 0 (D0) and at month 6 (M6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, no statistical differences have been observed at M6 vs D0 as regards BCVA and mfERG (P > 0.05). Mild Improvement of BCVA and improvement of mfERG was noted in seven/40 eyes of four/20 patients. In the first patient, the peak of the a wave increased from 66 nV/deg(2) to 75.4 nV/deg(2) in the right eye (RE) and 24.5 nV/deg(2) to 49.1 nV/deg(2) in the left eye (LE). The peak of the b wave improved from 122 nV/deg(2) to 157 nV/deg(2) in the RE, and 102 nV/deg(2) to 149 nV/deg(2) in the LE. In the second patient peaks of the a and b waves respectively increased from 11.8 nV/deg(2) to 72.1 nV/deg(2) and 53 nV/deg(2) to 185 nV/deg(2) in the RE. In the third patient the peak of the a wave increased from 37 nV/deg(2) to 43 nV/deg(2) in the RE, and from 31 nV/deg(2) to 45 nV/deg(2) in the LE; the peak of the b wave improved from 70 nV/deg(2) to 89 nV/deg(2) in the RE, and from 101 nV/deg(2) to 108 nV/deg(2) in the LE. In the fourth patient, the peak of the a wave increased from 39 nV/deg(2) to 42 nV/deg(2) in the RE, and from 40 nV/deg(2) to 43 nV/deg(2) in the LE; the peak of the b wave improved from 86 nV/deg(2) to 94 nV/deg(2) in the RE, and from 87 nV/deg(2) to 107 nV/deg(2) in the LE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DHA seems to influence some functional parameters in patients affected with STGD. However, no short-term benefit should be expected from DHA supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Paris XII, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Creteil, Creteil, France. giuseppe.querques@hotmail.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Querques
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benlian
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chanu
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leveziel
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coscas
authors.forename: Gisele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soubrane
authors.forename: Eric H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Souied