Hashemipour, M.A., Barzegari, S., Kakoie, S., & Aghahi, R.H. (2017). Effects of omega-3 fatty acids against chemotherapy-induced mucositis: A double-blind randomized clinical trial. Wounds, 29, 360–366.
To evaluate the efficacy and route of administration of omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis.
Patients were randomized to omega-3 (two capsules daily with meals, each capsule contained 2,000 mg of fish oil plus EPA/DHA). The placebo contained corn oil with EPA/DHA.
Double-blinded random control study
Mucositis was evaluated based on the WHO, Oral Mucositis Weekly Questionnaire (OMPQ), and Western Consortium for Cancer Nursing Research (WCCNR) criteria.
At 1 and 2 weeks, the severity of mucositis was lower in the omega-3 group compared with the control group and, after 2 weeks, there was no evidence of mucositis in the patients taking omega-3. Patients taking omega-3 compared with the placebo exhibited a better ability to eat, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.002). The average duration of mucositis in the omega-3 group was 5.5 days and in the placebo groups, 10-12 in the placebo group. The mean pain intensity scores during the first 24 hours were 5 ± 5.4 and 8 ± 6.4 in the omega-3 and placebo groups, respectively. The maximum and minimum values of pain severity scores in the omega-3 group were 6 and 0 in the placebo group. The patients’ quality of life in both groups showed a statistically significant difference in weeks 2 and 3 (p = 0.01).
Omega-3 fatty acids show promise in reducing the severity and duration of mucositis as well as the associated pain intensity.
These results show promise for treating patients with oral mucositis with omega-3 fatty acid.