A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of polyunsaturated fatty acids efficacy in adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Objective
Omega–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were tested in adolescent depression and in several neu rodevelopmental disorders with partial success. Anorexia nervosa (AN) is characterised by deficiencies in fatty food intake and frequent comorbidity, including depressive and cognitive symptoms. Thus supplementation with PUFAs may be beneficial in this group of patients. The aim of the study was to assess whether PUFAs as an add-on treatment is associated with better improvement of body mass index (BMI) and psychopathological symptoms than placebo in patients with AN.

Method
61 female adolescent inpatients with AN were randomly allocated to omega–3 PUFAs supplementation or placebo for 10 weeks. Patients also participated in the behavioural programme and eclectic psychotherapy (treatment as usual, TAU). At baseline and follow-up visits, patients’ BMI and psychopathology were assessed with Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), Patient Global Impression Scale (PGI), and Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26).

Results
After 10 weeks, both groups showed improve ment in all parameters. Improvement in CGI scores was observed greater in placebo vs. PUFA-s group (p = 0.015) while other differences were not statistically significant. Omega–3 PUFAs supplementation appears not to be ef fective as an add-on treatment in inpatient adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa.

Conclusions
The results should be analysed with cau tion due to small sample size and heterogeneity in TAU. As the TAU turned out to be highly effective, additional therapeutic effect of PUFA might not be visible. Never theless, that does not explain the tendency for better improvement in the placebo group.