Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation on Quality of Life, Nutritional Status, Inflammatory Parameters, Lipid Profile, Exercise Tolerance and Inhaled Medications in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background: The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have an anti-inflammatory effect, beneficial for allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels and blood inflammatory parameters [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)]. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to monitor omega-3 supplementation in patients with severe COPD and assess its association with quality of life, nutritional status, inflammatory parameters, lipid profile, comorbidities, exercise tolerance and inhaled medications.

Methods: Our questionnaire on dietary supplement habits and our validated self-completion questionnaires were filled in by 400 patients with COPD at the National Koranyi Institute of Pulmonology, Hungary, mean age 67 [61-73] years; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (ref%): 46 [34-58]; 47.5% male, 52.5% female. We used the disease-specific COPD Assessment Test (CAT) questionnaire to measure quality of life.

Results: More than half of the study participants (61%) did not consume fish or oilseeds at all. Nineteen patients (4.75%) took omega-3 supplementation regularly, mainly on medical advice (0.5 g/day). We observed significantly lower serum CRP levels [6.0 (1-7.3) vs. 9.7 (7.4-14.4); P=0.044], more favourable lipid profile [triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol] with higher mean body mass index (BMI) [28.1 (22.0-35.3) vs. 24.7 (24.5-30.1); P=0.118], better quality of life {CAT: 25 [21-30.5] vs. 26 [20-31]; P=0.519}, lower inhaled short-acting bronchodilators use [short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs): 6 (31.58) vs. 209 (54.86); P=0.047], lower number of exacerbations in the previous half year [0 (0-1) vs. 1 (0-2); P=0.023], and higher 6-minute walking distance (6MWD) {300 [177-387] vs. 251 [150-345]; P=0.120} in the group with omega-3 supplementation.

Conclusions: PUFAs are anti-inflammatory and affect the immune system. Our study shows that omega-3 intake of COPD patients is insufficient, and there is an urgent need to develop new anti-inflammatory strategies because only one drug (such as corticosteroids) cannot ease the chronically progressive inflammatory process of COPD.