The effects of omega-3 supplementation on disease progression, lung function, inflammatory markers, hospital stay, and quality of life in adult patients with cystic fibrosis

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on inflammatory markers, pulmonary function parameters, and quality of life in adults with cystic fibrosis. A total of 50 adult patients (male = 24, female = 26) were initially enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned in equal numbers to the omega-3 group (n = 25) and the placebo group (n = 25). Patients in the omega-3 group received two capsules per day (totaling 1800 mg/day omega-3, 1200 mg EPA, 480 mg DHA) of omega-3 fatty acids for 90 days, while the placebo group received two capsules per day containing medium-chain triglycerides (MCT, 1200 mg/day) for the same duration. During the follow-up period, three patients were excluded from the study due to systemic corticosteroid use. The final analyses were performed on 47 patients (male = 21, female = 26) aged between 20 and 45 years, with a mean age of 24.7 ± 5.2 years (omega-3: n = 23; placebo: n = 24). Considering the potential therapeutic impact of modulator therapy, patients were also stratified into two subgroups: those receiving modulator therapy (n = 26) and those not receiving it (n = 21). This subgroup analysis was conducted to enable a more accurate assessment of the independent effects of omega-3 supplementation. At baseline and post-intervention, data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire that included sections on general characteristics, health and lifestyle information, dietary habits, frequency of omega-3 rich food consumption, the Medical Research Council Scale (MRCS), and the Revised Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire (CFQ-R). Additionally, blood samples were obtained, sputum cultures were analyzed, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (%FEV₁) was measured. At the end of the intervention, no statistically significant differences were observed between the omega-3 and placebo groups in modulator-treated patients regarding serum total protein, albumin, prealbumin, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, %FEV₁, sputum culture results, or MRCS scores (p>0.05). However, according to CFQ-R results, a significant improvement in the general health subdomain was found in male patients receiving omega-3 supplementation (p<0.05), along with significant increases in body weight and BMI (p<0.05). Among patients who were not receiving modulator therapy, there were no significant differences between the omega-3 and placebo groups in terms of albumin, prealbumin, IL-1β, %FEV₁, sputum culture, anthropometric measurements, or MRCS scores (p>0.05). Nonetheless, the omega-3 group showed a borderline significant increase in serum total protein levels (p=0.05) and a statistically significant reduction in TNF-α levels (p<0.05). In the placebo group, a significant decrease in IL-6 levels was observed (p<0.05). According to the CFQ-R, female patients receiving omega-3 supplementation showed significant improvements in the physical functioning, body image, emotional well-being, and digestive symptoms subdomains (p<0.05). In conclusion, this study suggests that omega-3 supplementation may reduce certain inflammatory parameters and improve quality of life in adults with cystic fibrosis. Given the differing clinical response profiles between patients receiving and not receiving modulator therapy, future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up durations are warranted to validate these findings.