By Cameron Johnston
FT. LAUDERDALE, FL -- May 8, 2007 -- An omega-3 supplement containing fish oil, flaxseed oil, and vitamin E may help reduce the symptoms of dry eye and dry mouth associated with Sjogren's syndrome.
In a small, industry-sponsored study reported here at the meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), investigators said the mixture, marketed as TheraTears Nutrition (Advanced Vision Research, Woburn, Massachusetts), helped increase both stimulated and unstimulated salivary flow rates and led to significant improvements in dry eye and dry mouth symptom scores.
Dry eye occurs when the lacrimal glands and Meibomian glands fail to produce enough lubricant for the eye. The tear film is actually made up of distinct layers of water, oil and mucus. When the oil is not produced in sufficient quantities, as in the case of Sjogren's syndrome, this permits the layer of water to evaporate too quickly, drying out the cornea. Essential fatty acids are needed to maintain the oil layer in the tear film.
Also with Sjogren's syndrome, other glands, such as the salivary glands, fail to produce enough lubricants to keep the mouth suitably moistened.
In the prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study, 61 patients (mean age 56 years, 57 female, 4 male) were randomized to receive either the daily oral fish oil/flaxseed supplement or a placebo consisting of wheat germ oil for 3 months.
Patients were then evaluated for both stimulated and unstimulated saliva production, as well as dry eye symptoms. Saliva production was measured by collecting all accumulated saliva within 90 minutes of waking in the morning, before rinsing or brushing teeth. They were also given a saliva stimulant so "normal" saliva production could be graded.
For patients who received the fish-oil supplement, there were significant improvements in unstimulated salivary flow rate (P <.01), stimulated salivary flow rate (P <.48), and dry mouth symptom improvement (P <.0002). No significant improvements were seen in either stimulated or unstimulated saliva production among patients who received the placebo.
There were no meaningful improvements in subjective dry eye symptom scores among patients using the placebo. However, there were significant improvements in dry eye symptom scores for patients who received the fish and flaxseed oil supplements (43% of the omega-3 group vs. 14% of the placebo group).
Improvements in dry mouth symptoms were also verified through dental exams. Gingival and plaque scores were improved by 71% and 53% respectively in the study group, and Perception of oral improvement was noted in 61% of the omega-3 group and 36% of the placebo group.
Overall, improvements in dry eye symptoms and dry mouth symptoms for those receiving the study product were more than double what were seen in patients who received placebo.
The authors conclude that based on these data, it can be said that fish oil and flaxseed oil supplements significantly increase saliva production, both stimulated and unstimulated, as well as improving dry eye symptoms in patients with Sjogren's syndrome.
The study was funded by Advanced Vision Research, which makes TheraTears, and was conducted by Athena Papas DMD, PhD, of the Tuft's University School of Dental Medicine, in Boston.
[Presentation title: The Effect of a Unique Omega-3 Supplement on Dry Mouth and Dry Eye in Sjögren's Patients. Abstract 377/B579]
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