Impact of omega-3 supplementation on inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe head injuries: An experimental trial.

Background: Head injuries are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with traumatic brain injuries affecting young individuals and elderly populations. The inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation following head trauma contribute significantly to poor clinical outcomes. Omega-3 fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, have emerged as a potential adjunct therapy to mitigate these effects.

Methods: An experimental trial was conducted from January to July 2024 at our institution, involving 46 patients with moderate-to-severe head injuries. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either standard therapy (control group) or standard therapy plus omega-3 supplementation (treatment group). Each omega-3 capsule contained 1000 mg of fish oil, with 180 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), with patients in the treatment group receiving one capsule daily. C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophilto-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured on Day 1 and Day 7, while Glasgow outcome scale-extended (GOS-E) scores were assessed after 3 months. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results: Omega-3 supplementation significantly reduced CRP, NLR, and MDA levels in the treatment group compared to the control group (P < 0.05 for all). However, there was no significant difference in GOS-E scores between the groups (P = 0.717).

Conclusion: Omega-3 supplementation significantly reduced inflammatory markers and oxidative stress in patients with moderate-to-severe head injuries. However, it did not improve long-term clinical outcomes as measured by GOS-E scores, indicating the need for further studies to explore optimal dosing, composition (particularly high-DHA formulations), magnesium status, and long-term effects of omega-3 therapy in head injury recovery.