Fish Oil and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Study

Fish Oil for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has tripled from 5% to 15%. Major consequences of obesity include insulin resistance, type- 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The liver pathology encompasses a range from isolated fatty liver to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. Weight loss, particularly if gradual, may lead to improvement in liver histology. Unfortunately, few patients in the pediatric population are willing to follow these recommendations and achieve weight loss. Medical treatment directed specifically at the liver disease has only recently been investigated and approved in patients with NAFLD. The beneficial effects of fish oil are attributed to its high concentrations of n - 3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are major regulators of pathways that participate in decreased production and break down of triglycerides and fatty acids in the liver. The investigators hypothesize that children with obesity related NAFLD will normalize elevated liver enzymes, plasma lipid levels, and attenuate insulin resistance with supplements of n-3 fatty acids. If this hypothesis is proven true, then fish oil could be used to treat NAFLD and to prevent the deterioration of fatty liver into end-stage liver disease.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Fish Oil Supplementation; Drug: Placebo Supplementation

Detailed Description

Scientific Abstract:

Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has tripled from 5% to 15%. Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) above the 95%centile for age and gender. The recent estimates of obesity prevalence based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) 1999-2000 suggest that 15.3% to 15.5% of 6-19 year old children have a BMI above the 95% centile for age. Major consequences of obesity include insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD represents a spectrum of conditions characterized by macrovesicular hepatic steatosis. The liver pathology encompasses a range from isolated fatty liver to steatohepatitis, advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to cirrhosis even in children. Weight loss, particularly if gradual, may lead to improvement in liver histology. Unfortunately, few patients in the pediatric population are willing to follow these recommendations and achieve weight loss. Pharmacological therapy directed specifically at the liver disease has only recently been investigated in patients with NAFLD. Most of these studies have been uncontrolled pilot studies, lasting one year or less and have produced equivocal results. Thus, there is currently no effective treatment for this disorder. The beneficial effects of fish oil are attributed to its high concentrations of n - 3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 FA (LCPUFA) are major regulators of molecular pathways altering many areas of cellular and organ function, metabolism and gene expression, and are active in reducing inflammation through the eicosanoid pathway. N-3 LCPUFA are well established negative regulators of hepatic lipogenesis. Recently it has been shown that the suppressive effects of n-3 LCPUFA on lipogenic enzymes are mediated by the reduction of mature SREBP-1c protein in the liver, a key transcription factor that activates transcription of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis. It is also well established today that the n-3 LCPUFA act as PPAR-alpha and gamma modulators, important in triglyceride (TG) and fatty acid catabolism. N-3 LCPUFA produce a dramatic increase in the size and number of hepatic peroxisomes and increase the capacity of the hepatocyte to metabolize fatty acids by inducing peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes, such as acyl CoA oxidase . We hypothesize that children with obesity related NAFLD will normalize elevated liver enzymes, plasma lipid levels, and attenuate insulin resistance with supplements of n-3 LCPUFA. If this hypothesis is proven true, then fish oil could be used to treat NAFLD and to prevent the deterioration of fatty liver into end-stage liver disease.

The investigators will study 20 patients with NAFLD and hypertriglyceridemia, age 12y and above. Excluded from the study will be those with evidence of chronic infectious hepatitis, metabolic liver disease, autoimmune and chronic cholestatic liver diseases, insulin dependent diabetes and those with history of alcohol consumption, or exposure to drugs or hepatotoxins. Those qualifying for this study will be age 12 and above obese individuals (BMI > 95% for age), who have hyperlipidemia, but will have normal fasting glucose levels. For inclusion all will have elevation of serum aminotransferases to at least 1.5 times the upper limit of normal for a minimum of 3 months and evidence of fatty liver by abdominal ultrasound and liver biopsy. Patients will be randomized to placebo dummy capsules (controls) or n-3 LCPUFA supplements (Lovaza - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Pharmaceuticals, provided free of charge) at a dose of 4gr/day. They will be followed up at 3 and 6 months; monitoring height, weight, BMI, liver enzyme levels (ALT, AST, ALP), bilirubin total and direct, Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), plasma phospholipids, plasma lipids, insulin levels and estimation of HOMA-R.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 8
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • New York, New York, United States, 10032
      • Irving Clinical Research Center (GCRC) at Columbia University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body Mass Index (BMI i.e. wt(Kg)/ht(m)2) above the 95th % as defined by the NHANES tables.
• Elevated liver enzymes (ALT and/or AST) to at least 1.5 times the upper limit on at least 2 examinations, (ALT, the upper limit of normal values in our laboratory is 41 U/L; AST, upper limit of normal values in our laboratory is 38 U/L).
• Subjects must demonstrate ability to swallow capsules.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Overt Diabetes
• Viral or autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson's disease, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemochromatosis or any other form of chronic liver disease not related to NAFLD
• Exposure to drugs or hepatotoxins less than 14 days prior to recruitment
• Alcohol consumption > 20 grams/day
• Evidence of cirrhosis on liver biopsy.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Fish Oil Supplementation (Group A); Group A will receive fish oil capsules, containing n3-Fatty Acids, at a dose of 4g/day. Each 1g capsule will contain 465mg of EPA and 375 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).	Drug: Fish Oil Supplementation; Group A will receive fish oil capsules, containing n3-Fatty Acids, at a dose of 4g/day. Each 1g capsule will contain 465mg of EPA and 375 mg of DHA.; Other Names: Fish Oil Pills
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Supplementation (Group B); Group B will receive corn oil in the capsules at the same dose as Group A. The corn oil capsules will appear identical in size and color to the fish oil capsules.	Drug: Placebo Supplementation; Group B will receive corn oil in the capsules at the same dose as Group A. The corn oil capsules will appear identical in size and color to the fish oil capsules.; Other Names: Placebo Pills

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Participants With Normalized Liver Enzyme Levels	To evaluate the number of participants (young adults with obesity related NAFLD) that will normalize their elevated liver enzyme levels (normalized defined as having liver enzyme levels within a normal laboratory range) with supplements of fish oil (n-3 FA containing eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid).	Up to 12 months from entry into the study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of Participants With Normalization of Plasma Lipid Levels	The number of participants (young adults with obesity-related NAFLD and associated dyslipidemia) that will normalize plasma lipid levels (normalized defined as having plasma lipid levels within a normal laboratory range) after fish oil supplementation.	Up to 12 months from entry into the study
Number of Participants With Insulin Resistance Attenuated	The number of participants (young adults with obesity related NAFLD and insulin resistance) that will attenuate insulin resistance (attenuation of insulin resistance defined as decrease in the body's need for insulin and measured by insulin levels and estimation of Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-R) after fish oil supplementation.	Up to 12 months from entry into the study

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Columbia University
• Collaborators: GlaxoSmithKline
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Mercedes Martinez, MD, Columbia University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: March 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): September 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 26, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 27, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): January 28, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 5, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 3, 2022
• Last Verified: May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hepatic Steatosis; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Docosahexaenoic Acid; Fatty Liver Disease; Eicosapentanoic Acid; Elevated Transaminases; Fish oil supplements
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Liver Diseases; Fatty Liver; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: AAAF0695