Omega-3 supplement could help lupus patients
A new study has suggested that giving people with lupus a dietary supplement which contains omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids could have health benefits.
The team from Musgrave Park Hospital and Queens University in Belfast carried out a 24-week randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial of the omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids on 60 patients with lupus.
Their findings are published in the journal the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.
Some patients were given a daily 3g doses of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids while the control group were given a placebo.
After the 24-week trial, the patients who were given the dietary supplement showed lower scores when their disease activity was monitored.
In addition, the omega-3 was shown to improve blood flow and reduce oxidative stress.
As a result, Dr Stephen Wright and the team concluded: "Low dose dietary supplementation with omega-3 fish oils in lupus not only has a therapeutic effect on disease activity but also improves endothelial function and reduces oxidative stress and may therefore confer cardiovascular benefits."
An Arthritis Research Campaign spokeswoman said that study was of great interest, and if replicated in large numbers of patients could have significant clinical potential.
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