Higher Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked to Better Outcomes in Pulmonary Fibrosis

John S. Kim, M.D., from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, and colleagues measured omega-3 fatty acid levels from plasma samples of patients with clinically diagnosed pulmonary fibrosis from three cohorts (150 from the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry, 58 from the University of Virginia, and 101 from the University of Chicago). The associations of plasma omega-3 fatty acid levels with changes in forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were examined during a 12-month period.

The researchers found that each 1-unit increase in log-transformed N-3 index plasma level was associated with a 1.43 mL/minute/mm Hg per 12 months change in DLCO and with a hazard ratio of 0.44 for transplant-free survival. The associations were not significantly modified by cardiovascular disease history, smoking, or antifibrotic usage. No significant association was seen for omega-3 fatty acid levels with changes in FVC. Among University of Chicago cohort participants with shorter telomere length, higher eicosapentaenoic acid levels were significantly associated with longer transplant-free survival.

"We found that higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood, which reflects several weeks of dietary intake, were linked to better lung function and longer survival," Kim said in a statement. "Our findings suggest omega-3 fatty acids might be a targetable risk factor in pulmonary fibrosis."

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