Impact of omega-3 supplementation on the nutritional status, immune and inflammatory profile of gastric cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial
Mené au Brésil sur 68 patients atteints d'un cancer de l'estomac, cet essai randomisé évalue l'effet d'une supplémentation en acides gras oméga 3 sur le statut nutritionnel, sur le système immunitaire et sur la réaction inflammatoire chez des patients pendant la chimiothérapie
Objective : The aim was to study the effect of omega-3 supplementation on the nutritional status, immune and inflammatory profile of gastric cancer patients, during antineoplastic pre-treatment. Research Methods & Procedures : This is a randomized, open, controlled, and longitudinal study with intervention in outpatient gastric cancer patients. The total of 68 patients were randomized into two groups and received a formula enriched with omega-3 (intervention group-IG) or standard formula without omega-3 (control group-CG) for 30 consecutive days. Nutritional status (Patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment, bioimpedance, anthropometric), immune and inflammatory parameters were collected before and after supplementation. Results were expressed as frequency, median, interquartile interval and compared by non-parametric test, with statistically significant when p<0.05. Results :Thirty-four patients were included in each group, 64.7% were male, 44.1% were elderly, and 45.6% were stage III of the disease. There was an increase in C-reactive protein in the control group before and after supplementation, in addition to the worsening in some anthropometric parameters, such as arm muscle area and arm muscle circumference. There was maintenance of the immune profile in both groups. It was observed an increase in weight gain in the IG compared to the CG (1.2kg (0.9-9.0) vs 0.7kg (0.4-1.3); p=0.03), reduction of IL-6 (5.7pg/ml (4.1-6.4) vs 6.3pg/ml (5.6-8.6); p=0.03) and maintenance nutritional status, after supplementation. Conclusions : Omega-3 supplementation leads to a weight gain, reduction in the inflammatory profile and maintenance of the nutritional and immune profile of these patients, but further studies are necessary to study changes in body composition.