Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in First-Episode Psychosis: A Systematic Review
Poster B65, Friday, October 21, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Ricardo Coentre1,2, Miguel Talina1,3; 1First-Episode Psychosis Program, Hospital Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal, 3CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Centre, Nova Medical School/Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, New University of Lisbon, Portugal
Purpose: Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism abnormalities have been associated with psychotic disorders. Several randomized controlled trials have been carried out to assess the efficacy of omega-3 PUFA in patients with chronic schizophrenia and in ultra-high risk for psychosis patients, only few concern first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients. Our main aim was to assess efficacy of PUFA in the treatment of FEP. Material and Methods: The PUBMED and Web of Science databases were searched for randomized controlled studies (RCT) with the use of PUFA in FEP. Twenty articles were selected and after full-text screening only two studies were selected. Results: The two RCT found, included a total of 71 patients in treatment arm and 69 patients in the placebo arm. One study used 2.2g per day of ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (E-EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the other 2g of EPA. Both performed an add-on strategy to antipsychotic medication. The primary outcomes measured symptoms severity change. One study revealed significant differences between the study arms regarding total PANSS score change favoring n-3 PUFA (p = 0.016; effect size = 0.29). The second study found no significant differences between arms regarding symptoms change but with improvement of tolerability of antipsychotic medication (less constipation, p=.011; less sexual side effects, p=.016; less extrapyramidal side effects, p<0.05) for the treatment arm. Conclusion: RCT that used PUFA in FEP are very scarce, and the only two studies published seems to demonstrate positive effects of its use as add-on strategy. New RCT are needed with more patients included.
Topic Area: Psychopharmacology