Table 1.
Effects of n-3 PUFAs on asthma in clinical trials.
| Form of n-3 PUFAs |
Intervention | Participants | Outcomes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA and DHA | High dose (3.7 g EPA + 2.5 g DHA/d) x 21 days, low dose (1.8 g EPA + 1.3 g DHA/d) and placebo x 21 days | 8 male adults with asthma and HIB and 8 healthy male adult controls | Peak fall in FEV1 reduced by 34% and 30% (both p + 0.001): baseline fraction of exhaled NO was reduced by 24% and 31% (p = or < 0.02) | (85) |
| EPA and DHA | 180 mg EPA + 120 mg DHA/d x 3 months | 39 asthma patients (aged 4 - 14 y) | Two-point improvement in symptom score in 28 patients and in PEF and lower IL-17A and TNF-α levels (p < 0.05) | (86) |
| PUFA-enriched fat blend |
450 mg EPA + 180 mg DHA + 60 mg gamma linoleic acid + 60 mg SDA/d | 13 female and 10 male adults with asthma (aged 22 - 29 y) | eNO was significantly lower (p = 0.022) with lower levels of serum eosinophils (10.1 8 ± 0.1.84 vs. 5.79 ± 80.69%), eosinophilic cationic protein (20.5 8 ± 9.93 vs. -1.68 ± 4.36 ng/mL) and cysteinyl leukotriene release (2,889 ± 872 vs. 1,120 ± 173 ng/mL) (p < 0.05 each) in the n-3 PUFA group | (87) |
| EPA and DHA | (55% EPA+37% DHA) 2.4 g/day and placebo from 24 weeks’ gestation until 1week postpartum | Pregnant women and their offspring between birth and 3 to 5 years of age |
The cumulative risk of persistent wheeze or asthma were decreased from birth to 3 - 5 years (16.9% vs 23.7%, relative risk (RR) = 0.69, 95%CI 0.49 to 0.97, p = 0.035) and birth to 5 years (17.5% vs 24.6%, RR = 0.68, 95%CI 0.49 to 0.95, p = 0.024), but no difference in the risk of asthma exacerbations | (88) |
HIB, hyperpnoea-induced bronchoconstriction; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; eNO, exhaled nitric oxide; y, years; PEF, peak expiratory flow; ELFE, Etude Longitudinale Francais depuis L’Enfance; LCPUFA, long-chain PUFA; RR, relative risk.