Marine Oil Supplements for Arthritis Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
by
Ninna K. Senftleber 1,2,†, Sabrina M. Nielsen 1,2,†
, Jens R. Andersen 2, Henning Bliddal 1, Simon Tarp 1, Lotte Lauritzen 2, Daniel E. Furst 3, Maria E. Suarez-Almazor 4, Anne Lyddiatt 5 and Robin Christensen 1,*
Ninna K. Senftleber 1,2,†, Sabrina M. Nielsen 1,2,†, Jens R. Andersen 2, Henning Bliddal 1, Simon Tarp 1, Lotte Lauritzen 2, Daniel E. Furst 3, Maria E. Suarez-Almazor 4, Anne Lyddiatt 5 and Robin Christensen 1,*
1
Musculoskeletal Statistics Unit, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, 2000 Copenhagen F, Denmark
2
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, 1958 FC Copenhagen, Denmark
3
Division of Rheumatology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
4
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
5
Musculoskeletal Group, Cochrane Collaboration, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Nutrients 2017, 9(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9010042
Received: 20 October 2016 / Revised: 9 December 2016 / Accepted: 21 December 2016 / Published: 6 January 2017
Arthritis patients often take fish oil supplements to alleviate symptoms, but limited evidence exists regarding their efficacy. The objective was to evaluate whether marine oil supplements reduce pain and/or improve other clinical outcomes in patients with arthritis. Six databases were searched systematically (24 February 2015). We included randomized trials of oral supplements of all marine oils compared with a control in arthritis patients. The internal validity was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and heterogeneity was explored using restricted maximum of likelihood (REML)-based meta-regression analysis. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to rate the overall quality of the evidence. Forty-two trials were included; 30 trials reported complete data on pain. The standardized mean difference (SMD) suggested a favorable effect (−0.24; 95% confidence interval, CI, −0.42 to −0.07; heterogeneity, I2 = 63%. A significant effect was found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (22 trials; −0.21; 95% CI, −0.42 to −0.004) and other or mixed diagnoses (3 trials; −0.63; 95% CI, −1.20 to −0.06), but not in osteoarthritis patients (5 trials; −0.17; 95% CI, −0.57–0.24). The evidence for using marine oil to alleviate pain in arthritis patients was overall of low quality, but of moderate quality in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
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Keywords:
arthritis; marine oil; fish oil; joint pain; rheumatology; complementary medicine; meta-analysis; randomized controlled trials
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MDPI and ACS Style
Senftleber, N.K.; Nielsen, S.M.; Andersen, J.R.; Bliddal, H.; Tarp, S.; Lauritzen, L.; Furst, D.E.; Suarez-Almazor, M.E.; Lyddiatt, A.; Christensen, R. Marine Oil Supplements for Arthritis Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. Nutrients 2017, 9, 42.
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