Effects of a Low Dose of Fish Oil on Inflammatory Markers of Brazilian HIV-Infected Adults on Antiretroviral Therapy: A Randomized, Parallel, Placebo-Controlled Trial

• Published in: Nutrients 2015-08, Vol.7 (8), p.6520-6528
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Julicristie M, Rondó, Patrícia H C, Lima, Lourdes R A V, Fortuna, Elizabeth S, Yudkin, John S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; Anti-Retroviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biomarkers - blood; Body Mass Index; Brazil; C reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cytokines; Dietary supplements; Docosahexaenoic Acids - administration & dosage; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug dosages; Drug Interactions; Drug therapy; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - administration & dosage; Endpoint Determination; factor VIII; Factor VIII - metabolism; Fatty acids; Female; fibrinogen; Fibrinogen - metabolism; Fish oils; Fish Oils - administration & dosage; HIV; HIV infection; HIV Infections - blood; HIV Infections - drug therapy; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; inflammation; Inflammation - blood; interleukin 1-beta; interleukin 6; Interleukin-1beta - blood; Interleukin-6 - blood; Investigations; Lentivirus; Male; Metabolic syndrome; Middle Aged; Proteins; Public health; Retroviridae; Soybean Oil - administration & dosage; Surveys and Questionnaires; tumor necrosis factor-alpha; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu7085294

The benefits of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected subjects have been limited by an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a low dose of marine omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory marker concentrations in HIV-infected subjects under antiretroviral therapy (ART). This was a randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled trial that investigated the effects of 3 g fish oil/day (540 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid-EPA plus 360 mg of docosahexaenoic acid-DHA) or 3 g soy oil/day (placebo) for 24 weeks in 83 male and non-pregnant female HIV-infected adults on ART. There were no differences between groups for the measures at baseline. Multilevel analyses revealed no statistically significant relationship between the longitudinal changes in high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) (Wald Chi2 = 0.17, p = 0.918), fibrinogen (Wald Chi2 = 3.82, p = 0.148), and factor VIII (Wald Chi2 = 5.25, p = 0.073) with fish oil. No significant changes in interleukin-6 (IL6), interleukin-1 beta (IL1-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) serum concentrations were observed with fish oil supplements for 12 weeks. Compared to placebo, a low dose of 900 mg omega-3 fatty acids (EPA plus DHA) in fish oil capsules did not change hs-CRP, fibrinogen, factor VIII, IL6, IL1-beta and TNF-alpha serum concentrations in HIV-infected subjects on ART. Further investigations should consider the assessment of more sensitive inflammatory markers or higher doses to evaluate the effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids in this population. Registered at the Nederlands Trial Register, Identifier no. NTR1798.