title: Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation decreases liver fat content in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: double-blind randomised controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether dietary supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) decreases liver fat content in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a randomised controlled trial of DHA supplementation (250 and 500 mg/day) versus placebo in 60 children with biopsy-proven NAFLD (20 children per group).
  
  
  METHODS
  The main outcome was the change in liver fat content as detected by ultrasonography after 6 months of treatment. Secondary outcomes were the changes in insulin sensitivity index, alanine transaminase, triglycerides and body mass index after 6 months of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood DHA increased in children supplemented with DHA (0.65%, 95% CI 0.30% to 1.10% for the DHA 250 mg group and 1.15%, 0.87% to 1.43% for the DHA 500 mg group). The odds of more severe versus less severe liver steatosis after treatment was lower in children treated with DHA 250 mg/day (OR = 0.01, 0.002 to 0.11, p <0.001) and DHA 500 mg/day (OR = 0.04, 0.002 to 0.46, p = 0.01) as compared to placebo but there was no difference between the DHA groups (p = 0.4). Insulin sensitivity index increased and triglycerides decreased to a similar degree in both DHA groups as compared to placebo but there was no effect on alanine transaminase and body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DHA supplementation improves liver steatosis and insulin sensitivity in children with NAFLD.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Metabolic and Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Square S. Onofrio 4, Rome, Italy. nobili66@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nobili
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bedogni
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alisi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietrobattista
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Risé
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agostoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D000410:Alanine Transaminase