Meta-analysis of fish oil use on 8 measures of arthritis severity:
A meta-analysis was conducted which included 10 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies aimed at determining the effect of fish oil supplementation on 8 measures of arthritis severity including the number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, extent of morning stiffness, grip strength, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and overall global assessment of disease severity. The studies involved a total of 368 participants who took fish oil supplements for at least three months. The meta-analysis revealed a highly significant decrease in the number of tender joint count (rate difference [RD] or absolute difference between groups = -2.9) and a significant shortening in the duration of morning stiffness (RD=-25.9) among patients supplementing with fish oils compared to dietary control oils. No statistically significant changes were observed for the other measured indicators of disease severity. (6)
