BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS IN NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE, IN CHILDHOOD OBESITY
LAURA ANCA POPESCU1, BOGDANA VÎRGOLICI1, DANIELA PĂCURAR1,2, OLIVIA TIMNEA3, AURELIAN EMIL RANETTI4*, DUMITRU ORĂŞEANU1,2, LEON ZĂGREAN1
1“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest
2Clinic Pediatric Emergency Hospital, “Grigore Alexandrescu”, Bucharest
3Ecologic University of Bucharest, Faculty Physical Education and Sports, Bucharest
4Department of Endocrinology, Central Military Hospital Emergency Univesitar, Bucharest
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Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing and is strongly
associated with abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. To date, there are
no proven effective therapies that halt NAFLD progression or improve prognosis in
children.
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Omega-3 fatty acids
(enriched in vitamins) treatment in NAFLD, in obese children.
Thirty obese children (10-16 years old) and thirty lean children (10-16 years old)
were involved. Each day, for three months, obese children took Omega-3 fatty acids
(docosahexaenoic acid, DHA 130 mg and eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA 25 mg) and vitamins
(A 200 μg, D 1.25 μg, E 2.5 mg and C 30 mg). The antropometric markers, lipid profile,
inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, fibrinogen, leptin, ceruloplasmin, albumin/globulin
ratio), insulin resistance marker (HOMA-IR), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and
liver tests (albumin, bilirubin, protrombin time, ALT, AST) were measured before and after
treatment. Ultrasounds were used for NAFLD diagnosis.
In obese children versus lean subjects all the measured parameters were
modified. In obese children, after treatment, lower levels for waist circumference (p<0.05),
total colesterol (p<0.02), triglycerides (p<0.01), PAI-1 (p<0.05), ALT and AST activities
(p<0.02), HOMA-IR (p<0.005), bilirulin (p<0.02) were measured. After treatment, all the
above inflammatory markers (p<0.05) were reduced, while albumin (p<0.05) and calcium
(p<0.05) were increased.
In conclusion, in obese children, treatment with Omega-3 fatty acids, associated
with low doses of lipid soluble vitamins and 30 mg of vitamin C, has strong beneficial
effects in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
