Blood omega-3 fatty acids and death from COVID-19: A pilot study
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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.
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The Asher et al. study was underpowered and did not reach statistical significance.
“Still, the study was underpowered and did not reach statistical significance.”
From Update on Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Health (2022) · cites this paper as [91]
In a study of 100 COVID-19 patients, after adjusting for age and sex, the odds ratio for death for those with omega-3 index in Q4 vs Q1-3 was 0.25.
“During admission, the O3I was analyzed; after adjusting for age and sex, the odds ratio for death in patients with an O3I in Q4 vs. Q1-3 was 0.25, suggesting that a relationship exists.”
From Update on Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Health (2022) · cites this paper as [91]
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Flagged first, then by citations
- Authors
- Asher, A., Tintle, N. L., Myers, M., Lockshon, L., Bacareza, H., & Harris, W. S.
- Affiliations
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (US)
- Dordt University (US)
- Los Alamitos Medical Center (US)
- University of South Dakota (US)
- Corresponding author
- Harris, William S.
- Venue
- Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-03
- Volume
- 166
- Pages
- 102250
- ISSN
- 0952-3278 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7816864
- OpenAlex
- W3124724628
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 17.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Prostaglandins Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (publishedVersion)
- medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, docosahexaenoic acid, omega-3 index, COVID-19 mortality, anti-inflammatory activity, mortality risk factors
- MeSH terms
- COVID-19, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Docosahexaenoic Acids, Erythrocytes, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, Fatty Acids, Omega-3, Resuscitation Orders
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