Fish oil in knee osteoarthritis: a randomised clinical trial of low dose versus high dose
Hill CL, et al
Published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Methodology
Randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial (ACTRN12607000415404); primary endpoints WOMAC pain at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months and change in cartilage volume at 24 months; secondary outcomes WOMAC function, quality of life, analgesic and NSAID use and bone marrow lesion score.
Key Findings
202 people with knee osteoarthritis and regular knee pain were randomised 1:1 to high-dose fish oil (4.5 g omega-3, 15 mL/day) or low-dose fish oil (0.45 g omega-3 blended with sunola oil, 15 mL/day) for two years. Both groups improved, but the low-dose group had greater improvement in WOMAC pain and function at two years, with no significant between-group difference at one year. Cartilage volume loss at two years did not differ between groups, nor did quality of life, analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug use or bone marrow lesion scores. High-dose fish oil therefore offered no additional benefit over the low-dose comparator.
Conclusions
In people with symptomatic knee OA, there was no additional benefit of a high-dose fish oil compared with low-dose fish oil.
Limitations
There was no true placebo arm, since the low-dose comparator contained both fish oil and sunola oil, so the apparent advantage for the comparator is hard to interpret; the study cannot show whether either preparation beats no supplement at all.
Supplements Studied
In people with symptomatic knee OA, there was no additional benefit of a high-dose fish oil compared with low-dose fish oil.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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