Blood omega-3 fatty acids and death from COVID-19: A pilot study

Arash Asher; Nathan L. Tintle; Michael Myers; Laura Lockshon; Heribert Bacareza; William S. Harris

doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102250

Blood omega-3 fatty acids and death from COVID-19: A pilot study

Arash Asher, Nathan L. Tintle, Michael Myers, Laura Lockshon, Heribert Bacareza, William S. Harris

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Scopus citations

Abstract

Very-long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection. We conducted a pilot study in 100 patients to test the hypothesis that RBC EPA+DHA levels (the Omega-3 Index, O3I) would be inversely associated with risk for death by analyzing the O3I in banked blood samples drawn at hospital admission. Fourteen patients died, one of 25 in quartile 4 (Q4) (O3I ≥5.7%) and 13 of 75 in Q1–3. After adjusting for age and sex, the odds ratio for death in patients with an O3I in Q4 vs Q1–3 was 0.25, p = 0.07. Although not meeting the classical criteria for statistical significance, this strong trend suggests that a relationship may indeed exist, but more well-powered studies are clearly needed.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	102250
Journal	Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids
Volume	166
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102250
State	Published - Mar 2021
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

COVID-19
Docosahexaenoic acid
Eicosapentaenoic acid
Inflammation
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 index
Total mortality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Clinical Biochemistry
Cell Biology

Access to Document

10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102250

Cite this

@article{a7c76dc9efff4f41a4f6a79d2fdf2bc1,

title = "Blood omega-3 fatty acids and death from COVID-19: A pilot study",

abstract = "Very-long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection. We conducted a pilot study in 100 patients to test the hypothesis that RBC EPA+DHA levels (the Omega-3 Index, O3I) would be inversely associated with risk for death by analyzing the O3I in banked blood samples drawn at hospital admission. Fourteen patients died, one of 25 in quartile 4 (Q4) (O3I ≥5.7%) and 13 of 75 in Q1–3. After adjusting for age and sex, the odds ratio for death in patients with an O3I in Q4 vs Q1–3 was 0.25, p = 0.07. Although not meeting the classical criteria for statistical significance, this strong trend suggests that a relationship may indeed exist, but more well-powered studies are clearly needed.",

keywords = "COVID-19, Docosahexaenoic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Inflammation, Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-3 index, Total mortality",

author = "Arash Asher and Tintle, {Nathan L.} and Michael Myers and Laura Lockshon and Heribert Bacareza and Harris, {William S.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2021",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102250",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "166",

journal = "Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids",

issn = "0952-3278",

publisher = "Churchill Livingstone",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Blood omega-3 fatty acids and death from COVID-19

T2 - A pilot study

AU - Asher, Arash

AU - Tintle, Nathan L.

AU - Myers, Michael

AU - Lockshon, Laura

AU - Bacareza, Heribert

AU - Harris, William S.

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - Very-long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection. We conducted a pilot study in 100 patients to test the hypothesis that RBC EPA+DHA levels (the Omega-3 Index, O3I) would be inversely associated with risk for death by analyzing the O3I in banked blood samples drawn at hospital admission. Fourteen patients died, one of 25 in quartile 4 (Q4) (O3I ≥5.7%) and 13 of 75 in Q1–3. After adjusting for age and sex, the odds ratio for death in patients with an O3I in Q4 vs Q1–3 was 0.25, p = 0.07. Although not meeting the classical criteria for statistical significance, this strong trend suggests that a relationship may indeed exist, but more well-powered studies are clearly needed.

AB - Very-long chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 infection. We conducted a pilot study in 100 patients to test the hypothesis that RBC EPA+DHA levels (the Omega-3 Index, O3I) would be inversely associated with risk for death by analyzing the O3I in banked blood samples drawn at hospital admission. Fourteen patients died, one of 25 in quartile 4 (Q4) (O3I ≥5.7%) and 13 of 75 in Q1–3. After adjusting for age and sex, the odds ratio for death in patients with an O3I in Q4 vs Q1–3 was 0.25, p = 0.07. Although not meeting the classical criteria for statistical significance, this strong trend suggests that a relationship may indeed exist, but more well-powered studies are clearly needed.

KW - COVID-19

KW - Docosahexaenoic acid

KW - Eicosapentaenoic acid

KW - Inflammation

KW - Omega-3 fatty acids

KW - Omega-3 index

KW - Total mortality

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099821825&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85099821825&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102250

DO - 10.1016/j.plefa.2021.102250

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85099821825

SN - 0952-3278

VL - 166

JO - Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids

JF - Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids

M1 - 102250

ER -

Blood omega-3 fatty acids and death from COVID-19: A pilot study

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this