Evaluating the Effects of Omega-3 on Quality of Life in Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder chiefly characterized by respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. This study investigates whether omega-3 fatty acid affects quality of life in children with CF.

This was a single-blind, pilot study undertaken at the Cystic Fibrosis Center of Sarvar Children Hospital, Mashhad, Iran from March 2009 until September 2009. In this study, 11 patients aged 2-12 years were assigned to ingest 3 capsules of fish oil daily for 3 months. Each capsule contained fish oil (1 gr), eicosapentaenoic acid (180 mg) and docosahexaenoic acid (120 mg). At the beginning of the study and after the treatment period, questionnaires were used to determine the quality of life of all patients, both totally and separately, in four domains [physical (PH), emotional (EM), social (SOC) and school functioning (SCH)]. Wilcoxon test compared the scores before and after treatment intervention. p < 0.05 was considered significant.