Effect of treatment with omega-3 fatty acids on C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-alfa in hemodialysis patients

C-reactive protein (CRP),a strong independent risk marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD),and tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α),a known pro-inflammatory cytokine,are elevated and have damaging effects in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Omega-3 fatty acids play an important modulatory role in inflammatory responses. The aim of this study is to review the alterations in serum levels of TNF-α,CRP and other parameters caused by omega-3 supplementation in dialysis patients. The clinical trial was performed in 37 patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis in hemodialysis centers of three university hospitals in Tabriz. Blood samples were obtained from the study patients for hemoglobin,albumin,ferritin,triglyceride,total cholesterol,low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol,TNF-α and high specific-CRP (hs-CRP) measurement. The patients received 3 g omega-3 per day for 2 months. The side-effects noticed were nausea,diarrhea and dyspepsia and undesired drug smell. The difference noted in hemoglobin,albumin,ferritin,CRP,triglyceride,total,LDL and HDL-cholesterol before and after supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid was not statistically significant (P 0.05). However,the use of omega-3 decreased the serum levels of TNF-α significantly. We conclude that the use of 3 g of omega-3 per day caused significant decrease in serum levels of TNF-α in the dialysis population,and its use is recommended in such patients.