Re: Fish oil and CF...

[Guest guest]

Thank-you . Here is the abstract from another study, indicating that

supplementation with fatty fish oils can have positive effects against

inflammation in CF. I wonder how many more studies need to be done before

our clinic dieticians and doctors decide to incorporate this into a

treatment regimen. M

JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2003 Jan-Feb;27(1):52-7.

Effect of an 8-month treatment with omega-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic

and docosahexaenoic) in patients with cystic fibrosis.

De Vizia B, Raia V, Spano C, Pavlidis C, Coruzzo A, Alessio M.

Department of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Napoli, Italy.

devizia@...

BACKGROUND: Supplementation of the diet with eicosapentaenoic acid and

docosahexaenoic acid, the main long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in cell

membranes, may have beneficial effects in patients with cystic fibrosis.

METHODS: A prospective study involving 30 patients and 20 control subjects

was carried out; eicosapentaenoic plus docosahexaenoic acid was equal to

1.3% of caloric intake in the cystic fibrosis patients. Our present study

included the evaluation of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid

incorporation into erythrocyte membranes and biological and clinical effects

in response to long-term (8 months) supplementation with fish oil as a

source of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in patients with cystic

fibrosis.

RESULTS: Baseline erythrocyte membrane fatty acids showed low levels of

linoleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid and mild elevation of 18:3n6, but

similar docosahexanoic acid and other fatty acids in cystic fibrosis

patients compared with controls. Fish oil supplementation led to a 1.7-fold

(p < .05) and 1.3-fold (not significant) increase of eicosapentaenoic acid

in erythrocyte membrane phospholipids after 4 and 8 months of

supplementation, respectively, and to a 1.67-fold (p < .05) and 1.38-fold (p

< .05) increase of docosahexanoic acid, respectively. Along with these

changes, there was a progressive decrease of arachidonic acid (from 8.51 to

6.67 g/100 fatty acids at 4 months and 4.83 g/100 fatty acids at 8 months; p

< .05) and an increase of linoleic acid (p < .05) in membrane phospholipids.

Analysis of inflammatory markers showed a significant decrease of serum

immunoglobulin G (IgG) and of alpha-1 antitrypsin (p < .05) concentrations.

Pulmonary function testing showed mild but significant improvement of forced

expiratory volume (FEV)-1 from 61% +/- 19% to 57% +/- 19% of predicted

values (p < .05). The number of days of antibiotic therapy during the study

period was markedly lower compared with the preceding 8-month period (392

versus 721 days; p < .05).

CONCLUSION: Long-term eicosapentaenoic plus docosahexanoic acid

supplementation (8 months) has positive effects, such as decreasing

inflammation, in cystic fibrosis.

[Guest guest]

You really hit it right with this one! Thank you, !

Love,

n

Fish oil and CF...

> I found this while surfing the net. A while back we talked about the

> omega diet and so on and so forth here is a little more...

>

>

> Lung disease and fish oils - A review of the evidence

> BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. The idea that fish and fish oils may protect

> against lung disease developed from early studies of the dietary

> habits of Greenland Eskimos. Dr. D.F. Horrobin hypothesized that the

> high content of omega-3 fatty acids in the Eskimo diet is at least

> partially responsible for the low prevalence of lung disease in this

> population group. This makes biological sense inasmuch as omega-3

> fatty acids (notably from fish and fish oils) are known to inhibit

> the synthesis of the inflammatory eicosanoids involved in lung

> diseases.

>

> Dr. Schwartz, MD of the Harvard Medical School has just

> published a review of the evidence concerning omega-3 fatty acids and

> lung disease. Dr. Schwartz concludes that there is good evidence that

> a high intake of fish helps retard the age-related decline in lung

> capacity observed among both smokers and non-smokers. He also points

> out that one long term trial of fish oil supplementation in adult

> asthma patients showed significant benefits, but that shorter trials

> (less than 1 year) have not confirmed these findings. Two Australian

> studies have shown that consumption of fresh fish (particularly oily

> fish) protects children against wheezing and asthma. The evidence

> concerning cystic fibrosis is controversial. Some studies have shown

> that fish oil supplementation suppresses the formation of the

> inflammatory eicosanoids which are characteristic of cystic fibrosis;

> however, little or no clinical improvements are noted in these

> studies. Other studies have found a significant protective effect of

> fish and fish oil in regard to chronic bronchitis and emphysema

> (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) especially among smokers.

>

> Dr. Schwartz concludes that there is a good case for fish and fish

> oils being protective against the development of chronic lung

> diseases, but that more research is needed to establish conclusive

> proof of benefits.

> Schwartz, . Role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in lung disease.

> American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71 (suppl), January

> 2000, pp. 393S-96S

>

> Intravenous fish oil infusion safe for CF patients

> NEW YORK, NY. Seriously ill cystic fibrosis (CF) patients cannot

> absorb fats and other nutrients properly and therefore often need

> infusions of essential fatty acids. These infusions are most often

> based on linoleic acid as many CF patients have been found to have a

> deficiency of this omega-6 fatty acid. There is now substantial

> evidence that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils can

> suppress inflammatory processes such as those involved in CF.

>

> A team of American, Finnish, and German researchers completed a small

> clinical trial aimed at determining if it would be safe and effective

> to use a fish oil fortified emulsion in the intravenous feeding of CF

> patients. The trial involved 12 patients; 6 were given infusions of a

> lipid emulsion enriched with fish oils while the remaining 6 (control

> group) were given infusions of the standard linoleic acid-based

> emulsion. The fish oil emulsion contained 18.3% eicosapentaenoic acid

> (EPA), 27.6% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 12.7% oleic acid, and 2.5%

> linoleic acid. The standard emulsion contained 54.5% linoleic acid,

> 22.4% oleic acid, and 0% EPA and DHA. Both emulsions were

> administered daily (over a 4-hour period) for 1 month at a dose of

> 150 mg/kg of body weight. The researchers found no adverse effects on

> liver function or coagulation parameters and no toxic or allergic

> reactions in the patients receiving the fish oil emulsion. There was

> a tendency to improved lung function in the fish oil group and a

> tendency towards a worsening in the control group during the trial;

> however, these effects were not statistically significant. The

> researchers conclude that intravenous infusions of lipid emulsions

> containing fish oils are safe for CF patients. They urge additional,

> longer-term studies to determine if such infusions would be of

> clinical benefit.

> Katz, P., et al. The use of an intravenous fish oil emulsion

> enriched with omega-3 fatty acids in patients with cystic fibrosis.

> Nutrition, Vol. 12, No. 5, 1996, pp. 334-39

>

> Fish oils may protect against emphysema

> MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. Researchers at the University of Minnesota

> report that smokers who eat fish regularly are much less likely to

> develop chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as chronic

> bronchitis and emphysema. They believe the protective effect is due

> to the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

> content of fish. Other studies have shown that fish oils have anti-

> inflammatory properties and benefit patients with rheumatoid

> arthritis and ulcerative colitis. The study included 8960 people, 55

> per cent of which were former smokers and 45 per cent current

> smokers. The researchers found that present or former smokers who ate

> four servings of fish per week had about half the risk of developing

> chronic bronchitis as did smokers who only ate 0.5 serving or less

> per week. Heavy fish eaters had only one third the risk of getting

> emphysema as did smokers who ate little fish. Eating four servings of

> fish per week corresponds to a daily intake of about 480 mg of fish

> oils (EPA and DHA). The researchers conclude that a high dietary

> intake of fish oils (n-3 fatty acids) may protect cigarette smokers

> against chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

> Shahar, Eyal, et al. Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and

> smoking-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The New

> England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 331, No. 4, July 28, 1994, pp. 228-

> 33

>

> Fish oil helps cystic fibrosis victims

> NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA. Researchers at the University of Sydney

> have found that daily supplementation with fish oil capsules

> alleviates many of the symptoms of cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis

> is a serious, inherited childhood disease which involves a

> malfunctioning of the body's mucus glands. An abnormally thick mucus

> is produced which clogs the lungs and results in breathing

> difficulties. Other symptoms include persistent cough and wheezing,

> repeated lung infections, and a failure to gain weight. Sixteen

> cystic fibrosis patients aged 12 to 26 took part in the experiment.

> Half the group received fish oil capsules providing 2.7 g of

> eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) per day while the other half received

> identical olive oil capsules as a placebo. After six weeks of

> treatment the patients receiving EPA coughed up significantly less

> sputum, were breathing easier (both forced expiatory volume and vital

> capacity were up) and generally felt better. The Australian

> researchers believe that the EPA acts by modifying the role of

> leukotriene B4. Leukotriene B4 is thought to be the main culprit in

> the excessive inflammatory response to bacteria which characterizes

> cystic fibrosis.

> Lawrence, R. and Sorrell, T. Eicosapentaenoic acid in cystic

> fibrosis: evidence of a pathogenetic role for leukotriene B4. The

> Lancet, Vol. 342, August 21, 1993, pp. 465-69

>

> Cystic fibrosis and fish oils

> GENT, BELGIUM. There is evidence that cystic fibrosis patients with

> high plasma phospholipid levels of omega-3 fatty acids have better

> lung function than patients with lower levels. Cystic fibrosis (CF)

> is, unfortunately, often accompanied by fat malabsorption so it is

> not clear whether oral fat supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids

> would benefit CF patients.

>

> Researchers at the State University of Gent set up an experiment to

> see if CF patients are able to absorb omega-3s effectively by mouth.

> The trial involved 9 CF patients (4 females and 5 males) ranging in

> age from 7 to 20 years. All had been diagnosed with pancreatic

> insufficiency and had poor fat absorption despite supplementing with

> pancreatic enzyme preparations. The patients were assigned to receive

> either 6 fish oil capsules per day for a month followed by 6 placebo

> capsules for a month or 6 placebo capsules daily for a month followed

> by 6 fish oil capsules daily for a month. Each fish oil capsule

> contained 335 mg of salmon oil and 165 mg of commercial soy lecithin

> and provided 152 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. The placebo capsules

> contained 500 mg of pharmaceutical-grade liquid paraffin.

>

> The researchers found that the CF patients who took fish oil showed a

> marked increase in their phospholipid levels of eicosapentaenoic acid

> [EPA] (increase of 327%) and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] (increase of

> 215%). The levels of EPA and DHA returned to baseline 2 weeks after

> discontinuing supplementation. The researchers also noted that

> patients with low initial levels of EPA showed the greatest increase

> in EPA levels after supplementation. They conclude that oral

> supplementation with fish oil and lecithin is effective in increasing

> the levels of omega-3 fatty acids especially EPA and DHA in cystic

> fibrosis patients.

> Christophe, Armand, et al. Increase of long chain omega-3 fatty acids

> in the major serum lipid classes of patients with cystic fibrosis.

> Ann Nutr Metab, Vol. 36, 1992, pp. 304-12

>

>

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>

> -------------------------------------------

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> be construed as medical advice.

>

> PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE CHANGING ANY MEDICATIONS OR

TREATMENTS.

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