title: Long-Term Treatment with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids as a Monotherapy in Children with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy and safety of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) treatment in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eight obese (body mass index (BMI) >95th percentile for age and sex) adolescents with NAFLD were included in the study. Mean age of the subjects was 13.8 ± 3.9 years (9-17 yrs). The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on the presence of liver steatosis with high transaminases. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 (PUFA group, n=52) received a 1000 mg dose of PUFA once daily for 12 months and lifestyle intervention. Group 2 (placebo group, n=56) received a recommended diet plus placebo and lifestyle intervention for 12 months. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) from fasting samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BMI, fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR values in both groups decreased significantly at the end of the study. In group 1, 67.8% of the patients had a decrease from baseline in the prevalence of steatosis (p<0.001). Frequency of elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (39.2% to 14.2%; p<0.01) and elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (25% to 17.8%; p=0.01) decreased significantly in the PUFA group. Following a 12-month diet plus placebo and lifestyle intervention treatment, 40.3% (21) of the patients in the placebo group also showed a decrease in frequency of steatosis (p=0.04) and slight decreases in frequency of elevated ALT levels (38.4% to 28.8%; p=0.01) and AST levels (30.7% to 28.8%; p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated that n-3 PUFA treatment is safe and efficacious in obese children with NAFLD and can improve ultrasonographic findings and the elevated transaminase levels.
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Boyraz
authors: Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Isparta, Turkey Phone: +90 246 211 93 02 E-mail: ozgurpirgon@gmail.com.
authors: Özgür
authors: Ö
authors: Pirgon
authors: Bumin
authors: B
authors: Dündar
authors: Ferhat
authors: F
authors: Çekmez
authors: Nihal
authors: N
authors: Hatipoğlu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008019:Life Style; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D007328:Insulin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase