Zakaria H, et al. - This study assessed mineral-bone and inflammatory markers in maintenance HD patients who were asked to consume fish oil plus antioxidants like wheat germ oil (WGO). This dietary supplementation strategy afforded a beneficial impact on serum calcium (Ca) levels of HD patients without statistically significantly affecting other mineral-bone and inflammatory markers. These findings need confirmation in further investigations.

Methods

• Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, wherein, they randomly assigned 46 HD patients into 2 groups to receive daily 3000 mg of FO [1053 mg omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs)] plus 300 mg of WGO [0.765 mg vitamin E] or placebo for 4 months.
• Before and after the intervention, they measured blood concentrations of hemoglobin (Hgb), white blood cells, mineral-bone parameters including serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus, calcium–phosphorus product, parathyroid hormone, alkaline phosphatase, and osteoprotegerin and serum concentrations of inflammatory markers including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, ferritin, and uric acid.

Results

• In each group, 87 % of patients completed the study.
• At the end of study, it was noted that the supplemented group had a significantly increased mean serum Ca levels (p = 0.0016), and this increment was also significant as compared to placebo group (p = 0.0418).
• Researchers observed no significant alterations in the other measured parameters within each group during the study (as p values were >0.05).