Effect of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation in patients with sickle cell anemia: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.Am J Clin Nutr 2013; 97(1):37-44AJ
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Blood cell aggregation and adherence to vascular endothelium and inflammation play a central role in vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease. The antiaggregatory, antiadhesive, antiinflammatory, and vasodilatory omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are significantly reduced in patients with the disease.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to investigate the therapeutic potential of omega-3 fatty acids for patients with homozygous sickle cell disease in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.
DESIGN
One hundred forty patients recruited from a single center in Sudan were randomly assigned and received, daily, 1 (age 2-4 y), 2 (age 5-10 y), 3 (age 11-16 y), or 4 (age ≥17 y) omega-3 capsules containing 277.8 mg DHA and 39.0 mg EPA or placebo for 1 y. Of these patients, 128 were followed up and the data were obtained. The primary and secondary endpoints-rates of clinical vaso-occlusive crisis and hemolytic events, blood transfusion rate, school attendance, and blood count-were analyzed by intention-to-treat analysis (n = 140).
RESULTS
Omega-3 treatment reduced the median rate of clinical vaso-occlusive events (0 compared with 1.0 per year, P < 0.0001), severe anemia (3.2% compared with 16.4%; P < 0.05), blood transfusion (4.5% compared with 16.4%; P < 0.05), white blood cell count (14.4 ± 3.3 compared with 15.6 ± 4.0 ×10(3)/μL; P < 0.05), and the OR of the inability to attend school at least once during the study period because of illness related to the disease to 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.9; P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
The findings of this trial, which need to be verified in a large multicenter study, suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can be an effective, safe, and affordable therapy for sickle cell anemia. This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials as ISRCTN80844630.
Links
MeSH
Pub Type(s)
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Language
eng
PubMed ID
23193009
Citation
Daak, Ahmed A., et al. "Effect of Omega-3 (n-3) Fatty Acid Supplementation in Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia: Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 97, no. 1, 2013, pp. 37-44.
Daak AA, Ghebremeskel K, Hassan Z, et al. Effect of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation in patients with sickle cell anemia: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(1):37-44.
Daak, A. A., Ghebremeskel, K., Hassan, Z., Attallah, B., Azan, H. H., Elbashir, M. I., & Crawford, M. (2013). Effect of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation in patients with sickle cell anemia: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 97(1), pp. 37-44. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.036319.
Daak AA, et al. Effect of Omega-3 (n-3) Fatty Acid Supplementation in Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia: Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(1):37-44. PubMed PMID: 23193009.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid supplementation in patients with sickle cell anemia: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
AU - Daak,Ahmed A,
AU - Ghebremeskel,Kebreab,
AU - Hassan,Zahir,
AU - Attallah,Bakhita,
AU - Azan,Haj H,
AU - Elbashir,Mustafa I,
AU - Crawford,Michael,
Y1 - 2012/11/28/
PY - 2012/11/30/entrez
PY - 2012/11/30/pubmed
PY - 2013/3/8/medline
SP - 37
EP - 44
JF - The American journal of clinical nutrition
JO - Am. J. Clin. Nutr.
VL - 97
IS - 1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Blood cell aggregation and adherence to vascular endothelium and inflammation play a central role in vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease. The antiaggregatory, antiadhesive, antiinflammatory, and vasodilatory omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are significantly reduced in patients with the disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the therapeutic potential of omega-3 fatty acids for patients with homozygous sickle cell disease in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. DESIGN: One hundred forty patients recruited from a single center in Sudan were randomly assigned and received, daily, 1 (age 2-4 y), 2 (age 5-10 y), 3 (age 11-16 y), or 4 (age ≥17 y) omega-3 capsules containing 277.8 mg DHA and 39.0 mg EPA or placebo for 1 y. Of these patients, 128 were followed up and the data were obtained. The primary and secondary endpoints-rates of clinical vaso-occlusive crisis and hemolytic events, blood transfusion rate, school attendance, and blood count-were analyzed by intention-to-treat analysis (n = 140). RESULTS: Omega-3 treatment reduced the median rate of clinical vaso-occlusive events (0 compared with 1.0 per year, P < 0.0001), severe anemia (3.2% compared with 16.4%; P < 0.05), blood transfusion (4.5% compared with 16.4%; P < 0.05), white blood cell count (14.4 ± 3.3 compared with 15.6 ± 4.0 ×10(3)/μL; P < 0.05), and the OR of the inability to attend school at least once during the study period because of illness related to the disease to 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.9; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings of this trial, which need to be verified in a large multicenter study, suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can be an effective, safe, and affordable therapy for sickle cell anemia. This trial was registered with Current Controlled Trials as ISRCTN80844630.
SN - 1938-3207
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/23193009/full_citation
L2 - https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-lookup/doi/10.3945/ajcn.112.036319
DB - PRIME
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
