Fish oil beneficial in SLE

Fish oil supplements have a beneficial effect on disease activity and endothelial function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a recent randomised study. Previous studies have shown that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in fish oil improve endothelial function in diseases associated with atherosclerosis, the authors comment in their paper published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. To investigate whether this approach would also benefit disease activity and endothelial function in patients with SLE, 60 subjects were enrolled and randomised to placebo or polyunsaturated fatty acids Over the 24-week trial the authors reported significant improvements for the fish oil group compared with placebo for: the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure [SLAM-R, from 9.4 (SD 3.0) to 6.3 (2.5), p<0.001], the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group index of disease activity for systemic lupus erythematosus [BILAG, from 13.6 (6.0) to 6.7 (3.8), p<0.001]. Significant improvements were also observed for endothelial function using flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery [FMD, from 3.0% (—0.5 to 8.2) to 8.9% (1.3 to 16.9), p<0.001)] and in platelet 8-isoprostanes [from 177 pg/mg protein (23—387) to 90 pg/mg protein (32—182), p=0.007]. "This is the first study to show a beneficial effect of low-dose dietary PUFAs on vascular function and disease activity in SLE," the authors comment. "Further prospective, long-term, dose-ranging studies are required to ascertain the role of PUFAs on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with SLE," they concluded.  Reference Wright, S. O’Prey, F. McHenry, M. et al. 2008, ‘A randomised interventional trial of polyunsaturated fatty acids on endothelial function and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus’ Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, vol. 67, pp. 841-848....