Dj. Veale et al., A DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL OF EFAMOL MARINE ON SKIN AND JOINT SYMPTOMS OF PSORIATIC-ARTHRITIS, British journal of rheumatology, 33(10), 1994, pp. 954-958
Fish oil may be beneficial in the treatment of psoriasis and in RA. We
examined the potential benefit of Efamol Marine, a combination of eve
ning primrose oil and fish oil in the treatment of 38 patients with Ps
A. Patients with PsA were entered in a double-blind placebo controlled
study and received either 12 Efamol Marine capsules or 12 placebo cap
sules daily for 9 months. All patients received placebo capsules for a
further 3 months. At month 3 of the study patients were asked to redu
ce their intake of NSAIDs and maintain that decrease provided there wa
s no worsening of their joint symptoms. Clinical assessments of skin a
nd joint disease severity and activity were performed at 0, 1, 3, 6, 9
and 12 months. All measures of skin disease activity including severi
ty, percentage body affected and itch were unchanged by Efamol Marine.
The NSAID requirement remained the same between both treatment groups
. In addition, there was no change demonstrated in the activity of art
hritis as measured by duration of morning stiffness, Ritchie articular
index, number of active joints, ESR and CRP. However, a rise in serum
TXB2 was observed in the active group during the placebo phase; in ad
dition a fall in leukotriene B4 production occurred during the active
phase period followed by a marked rise during the placebo phase sugges
ting some laboratory documented anti-inflammatory effect. In conclusio
n, this study suggests that Efamol Marine may alter prostaglandin meta
bolism in patients with PsA, although it did not produce a clinical im
provement and did not allow reduction in NSAID requirement. A larger d
ose of essential fatty acid may be needed to produce a clinical benefi
t.