n-3 fatty acids

n-3 fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids) were investigated in a Phase 4 clinical trial (NCT00772096) conducted by the University Hospital of Basel for the prevention of septic encephalopathy and long-term cognitive dysfunction in patients with sepsis. The intervention involved the parenteral administration of a lipid emulsion containing highly refined fish oil (likely Omegaven, manufactured by Fresenius Kabi) at a dose of 2 ml/kg/day for seven days. The therapeutic hypothesis was that n-3 fatty acids could modulate the systemic inflammatory response—specifically targeting cytokines like IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10—thereby reducing brain injury and the incidence of sepsis-associated delirium. However, the study results indicated that the administration of n-3 fatty acids did not significantly affect markers of brain injury (such as S-100β and neuron-specific enolase) or the clinical incidence of delirium compared to the control group.

Brand names

Omegaven

Other names

omega-3 fatty acidsomega3 fatty acidsomega 3 fatty acidsfish oilpolyunsaturated fatty acidsPUFAshighly refined fish oiln-3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsn3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsn 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids