Body surface area-based omega-3 fatty acids supplementation strongly correlates to blood concentrations in children

• Published in: Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and essential fatty acids leukotrienes and essential fatty acids, 2021-06, Vol.169, p.102285-102285, Article 102285
• Main Authors: Ljungblad, L., Gleissman, H., Hedberg, G., Wickström, M., Eissler, N., Pickova, J., Johnsen, J.I., Tedroff, K., Strandvik, B., Kogner, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Arachidonic acid; Body Surface Area; Cell and Molecular Biology; Cell- och molekylärbiologi; Child; Child, Preschool; Chromatography, Gas; Docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - blood; Docosapentaenoic acid; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Dosage Calculations; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - blood; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - pharmacology; Female; Humans; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Neoplasms - blood; Nutrition and Dietetics; Näringslära; Oleic acid
• ISSN: 0952-3278; 1532-2823; 1532-2823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102285

•Omega-3-dose adjusted to BSA strongly correlated to blood omega-3 concentrations.•Results suggest a supplementation dose of 1500 mg/m2 BSA for further studies.•The DPA increase motivated an extended ω3-index, EDD index (∑EPA,DPA,DHA). Omega-3 fatty acids have been suggested as a complement in cancer treatment, but doses are not established. We performed a dose-finding study in 33 children in remission from cancer. Participants were allocated to a body surface area (BSA) adjusted dose (mg/m2) of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (40:60), ranging 233–3448 mg/m2 daily for 90 days. Fatty acid concentration in plasma phospholipids and red blood cells were determined by GC. Supplementation was well tolerated and correlated strongly with blood ω3-fatty acid concentrations and EPA showed the highest increase. Using the ω3-index disregards docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), which increased 30–43% in our study motivating an EDD-index (∑EPA,DPA,DHA). The ratio between arachidonic acid and EPA or DHA showed negative exponential trends. Dose per BSA enabled an individualized omega-3 supplementation decreasing the variation referred to interindividual differences. Based on our results, we suggest a dose of 1500 mg/m2 BSA for further studies.