title: The clinical benefits of long-term supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in cystic fibrosis patients - A pilot study.
abstract: Effectiveness of omega-3 supplementation in cystic fibrosis (CF) remains controversial. This study sought to evaluate clinical status, exercise tolerance, inflammatory parameters, and erythrocyte fatty acid profile after 1 year of oral omega-3 supplementation in CF patients. Fifteen ΔF508-homozygous patients undergoing chronic azithromycin were randomized to receive omega-3 fish oil supplementation at a dose of 60mg/Kg/day or placebo. In comparison with the previous year, in the supplemented group, the number of pulmonary exacerbations decreased at 12 months (1.7 vs. 3.0, p<0.01), as did the duration of antibiotic therapy (26.5 days vs. 60.0 days, p<0.025). Supplementation significantly increased the levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as early as <3 months of administration, with concomitant decreases in arachidonic acid (AA) levels. This pilot study suggests that long-term omega-3 supplementation offers several clinical benefits as to the number of exacerbations and duration of antibiotic therapy in CF patients.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: laurence.hanssens@huderf.be.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hanssens
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thiébaut
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lefèvre
authors.affiliation: Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel)-Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malfroot
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Universitaire Erasme - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knoop
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Brugmann et laboratoire de pédiatrie de l'Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duchateau
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola - Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casimir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D017963:Azithromycin; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid