Fish oil enhanced the efficacy of low-dose cyclophosphamide regimen for proliferative lupus nephritis: a randomized controlled double-blind trial

  • Chi Zhang Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, and Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China
  • Chang Ge Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China
  • Junsheng Wang Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China
  • Dong Sun Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, and Department of Internal Medicine and Diagnostics, Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, China
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v65.7842
Keywords: lupus nephritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, fish oil, cyclophosphamide

Abstract

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most severe organ that damages the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Cyclophosphamide is one of the main drugs used in the treatment of LN. Fish oil is a general term of all the oily substances in fish, whose main component is omega-3 fatty acid. This study aimed to investigate whether fish oil could be used as an adjunct to low-dose cyclophosphamide in proliferative LN treatment.

Methods: A total of 237 patients with proliferative LN were recruited and randomized into two groups: cyclophosphamide + placebo group and cyclophosphamide + fish oil group. In the cyclophosphamide + placebo group, participants received prednisone + cyclophosphamide + placebo. In the cyclophosphamide + fish oil group, participants received prednisone + cyclophosphamide + fish oil. Before and after treatment, the clinical parameters of the patients in both groups were evaluated.

Results: In the cyclophosphamide + fish oil group, the number of patients achieving complete remission (n = 45, 46.9%) was significantly higher than the cyclophosphamide + placebo group (n = 31, 32.6%). The number of patients achieving no response in the cyclophosphamide + fish oil group (n = 8, 8.3%) was significantly lower than the cyclophosphamide + placebo group (n = 22, 23.2%). Hematuria (P = 0.036), urine protein-creatinine ratio (uPCR) (P = 0.014), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P = 0.027), and renal SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (P = 0.009) improved more significantly in the cyclophosphamide + fish oil group. The number of patients with infection (P = 0.04) or urinary tract infection (P = 0.04) in the cyclophosphamide + fish oil group was lower than the cyclophosphamide + placebo group.

Conclusion: In conclusion, the treatment of fish oil in LN patients enhances the efficiency of cyclophosphamide, alleviates nephritis-related parameters, and inhibits infection and urinary tract infection during the treatment. Thus, fish oil may serve as a potential adjuvant drug in the treatment of LN.

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Published
2021-07-26
How to Cite
Zhang C., Ge C., Wang J., & Sun D. (2021). Fish oil enhanced the efficacy of low-dose cyclophosphamide regimen for proliferative lupus nephritis: a randomized controlled double-blind trial. Food & Nutrition Research, 65. https://doi.org/10.29219/fnr.v65.7842
Issue
Vol 65 (2021)
Section
Original Articles
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