Oral polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation as adjuvant therapy for asthmatic children

Background: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) competitively inhibit the formation of leukotrienes and prostaglandins produced from omega-6 fatty acids and thus provide anti-inflammatory effect. However, the precise impact of omega-3 fatty acid oral supplements for asthmatic children has not been established. The aim of this study was to assess safety and efficacy of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for asthmatic children. Method: In a prospective study, 44 known asthmatic children and 15 matched healthy children received oral supplementation with omega-3 PUFA for 5 weeks duration. All children underwent; history taking, clinical examinations, pulmonary function testing and assessment of omega-3 PUFA serum levels, total IgE (TIgE) levels and interleukin 4 (IL4) levels before and after the supplementation. Result: Basal omega-3 PUFA serum levels were significantly lower in asthmatic children compared to controls (p 0.03) and much lower with severe grades of asthma (r = 0.25, p 0.03). Three folds rise was documented in the mean omega-3 PUFA level of asthmatic children compared to eight folds increase in healthy children after PUFA supplementation (p 0.0004). Clinical asthma scores showed one step down improvement only in 13.5% of asthmatic children (6/44). Mean values of TIgE serum levels in asthmatic children showed a significant reduction after supplementation (p 0.04) while IL4 serum levels showed a rise after supplementation. Conclusion: Significant difference exists between healthy children and asthmatic children regarding the impact of oral PUFA supplementation. However; it showed some positive effects for asthmatics, its safety is questionable in children.