Rheumatoid arthritis and dietary interventions: systematic review of clinical trials.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (from fish) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity and pharmacotherapy outcomes.
Results Summary
High-dose omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduced RA disease activity and lowered pharmacotherapy failure rates. The study suggests fish-derived omega-3s are effective in managing RA symptoms.
Population
Human subjects with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Effective Dosage
High doses (specific amount not mentioned).
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids at high doses | decrease | RA disease activity | human participants | - | resulted in a reduction | #1 |
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids at high doses | decrease | pharmacotherapy | human participants | - | resulted in a lower failure rate | #2 |
Vitamin D supplementation | increase | some RA outcomes | human participants | - | were beneficial | #3 |
dietary sodium restriction | increase | some RA outcomes | human participants | - | were beneficial | #4 |
Fasting | increase | RA symptoms | human participants | - | resulted in significant but transient subjective improvements | #5 |
Mediterranean diet | increase | some RA disease activity measures | human participants | - | demonstrated improvements | #6 |
vegetarian, elimination, peptide, or elemental diets | no change | RA outcomes | human participants | - | suggested that responses are very individualized | #7 |
CONTEXT: The impact of various dietary interventions on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), characterized by immune-inflammatory response, has been subject to increased attention. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review was conducted to update the current knowledge on the effects of nutritional, dietary supplement, and fasting interventions on RA outcomes. DATA SOURCES: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, with prespecification of all methods, Medline and Embase were systematically searched for relevant articles. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 70 human studies were identified. Administration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids at high doses resulted in a reduction in RA disease activity and a lower failure rate of pharmacotherapy. Vitamin D supplementation and dietary sodium restriction were beneficial on some RA outcomes. Fasting resulted in significant but transient subjective improvements. While the Mediterranean diet demonstrated improvements in some RA disease activity measures, outcomes from vegetarian, elimination, peptide, or elemental diets suggested that responses are very individualized. CONCLUSION: Some dietary approaches may improve RA symptoms and thus it is recommended that nutrition should be routinely addressed.