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. 2024 Aug 8;16(8):e66452. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66452

Table 3. Arms and method of assessing pruritus in the included studies (n = 8).

VAS: visual analog scale; WI-NRS: Worst Itching Intensity Numerical Rating Scale

Study Omega-3 form/route/dose Control Pruritus assessment tool
Peck et al. [12,13] Soft-gel capsules containing 1 g fatty acid ethyl ester (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston Laboratory). Dose: six capsules/day for eight weeks SA: soft-gel capsules containing 1 g fatty acid ethyl ester (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston Laboratory). Dose: six capsules/day for eight weeks Duo questionnaire
Begum et al. [31] Soft-gel capsules containing 1 g fish oil fatty acid ethyl ester (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston Laboratory). Dose: six capsules/day for 16 weeks Soft-gel capsules containing 1 g fatty acid ethyl ester (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston Laboratory). Dose: six capsules/day for 16 weeks Duo questionnaire
Ghanei et al. [32] Fish oil 1 g capsules (Zahravi, Tabriz, Iran) three capsules/day for 20 days. After a 14-day washout period, they were treated with a placebo for 20 days Identical placebo capsules for 20 days. After a 14-day washout period, they were treated with omega-3 for 20 days Duo questionnaire
Lahiji et al. [33] Three 1 g omega-3 capsules (Zahravi, Tabriz, Iran) per day for one month. After a washout period of six weeks, patients were crossed over to the alternate treatment Three 1 g placebo capsules (Zahravi, Tabriz, Iran) per day for 1 month. After a washout period of six weeks, patients were crossed over to the alternate treatment VAS
Shayanpour et al. [34] A single dose of 2 g omega-3 capsules daily before lunch for three weeks A single dose of placebo capsules three daily before lunch for three weeks 5-D itch scale
Heydarbaki et al. [35] 1 g of omega-3 three times a day + 5 mg cetirizine three times a week for six weeks. After a washout period of one week, groups changed the treatments 5 mg of cetirizine three times a week for six weeks. After a washout period of one week, groups changed the treatments VAS
Forouhari et al. [36] Omega-3 1 g capsules (Zahravi, Tabriz, Iran) three times a day for four weeks. After a six-week washout period, a placebo is received for four weeks Placebo capsules (Zahravi, Tabriz, Iran) three times a day for four weeks. After a six-week washout period, omega-3 is received for four weeks VAS
Rafieipoor et al. [37] Three 1 g capsules of omega-3 fatty acids/day (Zahravi Pharmaceutical Co, Tabriz, Iran) for two months Three placebo capsules containing medium-chain triglyceride (Zahravi Pharmaceutical Co, Tabriz, Iran) for two months WI-NRS