[Evaluating the effects of Omega-3 on quality of life in children with cystic fibrosis]

ABSTRACT

Cystic fibrosis [CF] is an autosomal recessive disorder chiefly characterized by respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. This study investigates whether omega-3 fatty acid affects quality of life in children with CF. Materials and This was a single-blind, pilot study undertaken at the Cystic Fibrosis Center of Sarvar Children Hospital, Mashhad, Iran from March 2009 until September 2009. In this study, 11 patients aged 2-12 years were assigned to ingest 3 capsules of fish oil daily for 3 months. Each capsule contained fish oil [1 gr], eicosapentaenoic acid [180 mg] and docosahexaenoic acid [120 mg]. At the beginning of the study and after the treatment period, questionnaires were used to determine the quality of life of all patients, both totally and separately, in four domains [physical [PH], emotional [EM], social [SOC] and school functioning [SCH]]. Wilcoxon test compared the scores before and after treatment intervention. p < 0.05 was considered significant. The difference in total score of the Pediatric Quality Of Life Inventory TM 4.0 Short Form [PedsQLTM 4.0 SF15] before and after intervention showed a significant improvement [p = 0.02] in addition to the physical and social domains [p = 0.01 and p = 0.04, respectively], but was not significant in the other two domains. Fish oil, as a rich source of omega-3 fatty acid could have beneficial effects on improving quality of life in these patients. Other long-term studies including more patients might better clarify omega-3 effects on children with CF