Clinical value of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Introduction: Our civilized world, while seems to be overweight, suffers from omega-3 deficiency. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids can play a role in the development of many metabolic diseases (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease). Fatty acids in fish oil strengthen the immune system, reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, have been proven to be beneficial, reduce inflammation. Objective: The aim of our study was to monitor the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and to evaluate their relationship with lung function and quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Method: Our questionnaire was completed at the Department of Pulmonary Rehabilitation of the National Koranyi Institute for Pulmonology between March 1, 2019 and March 1, 2020 among COPD patients over 40 years of age. We used the disease-specific St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire to measure the quality of life; the respiratory function and anthropometric data were extracted from the electronic health record system. Results: The median age of the patients was 66 (IQR 60–73) years, with a gender division of 47.5% male and 52.5% female. The median BMI was 26.0 (IQR 21.7–30.6) kg/m2, and the median FEV1 (%pred) was 48.0 (IQR 38.1–55.3). In the form of a dietary supplement, 4.7% (n = 19) of patients take omega-3 fatty acids regularly, mainly on the recommendation of their doctor, at the recommended daily dose (0.25–0.50 g/day). Among them, we detected a better quality of life (65.8 [52.4–79.7] vs. 72.2 [56.2–88.6]; p = 0.044), had fewer comorbidities (hypertension: 10 [52.6%] vs. 275 [72.1%]; p = 0.066), consumed fewer drugs (short-acting bronchodilators: 5 [25.3%] vs. 197 [51.7%]; p = 0.031), had fewer exacerbations (1 [1–3] vs. 2 [1–4]; p = 0.029), and higher six-minute walking distance (300 [177–387] vs. 251 [150–345]; p = 0.121). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids may be related to the quality of life in COPD patients. According to our study, the intake of omega-3 in patients is unsatisfactory, and based on our results, we would like to draw attention to the importance of consuming these fats. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(1): 23–30.