[01] Hadis Sabour, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [02] Sahar Latifi, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [03] Zahra Soltani, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [04] Abbas Norouzi Javidan, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [05] Mohammad Reza Hadian, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [06] Vahid Rafiei Manesh, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [07] Seyed-Hassan Emami Razavi, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [08] Seyed-Mohammad Ghodsi, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Objectives: The beneficial influences of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in improving health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) have been demonstrated in some neurological diseases. However, this effect has not yet been described in spinal cord injury (SCI). Here, the effects of Omega-3 PUFA on HR-QoL among individuals with SCI have been assessed. Methods: One hundred and ten participants were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Patients in treatment group received two MorDHA capsules daily (435mg of docosahexaenoic acid and 65mg of eicosapentaenoic acid). Two placebo capsules were administered in control group. HR-QoL was assessed using Short-Form healthy survey (SF-36) at the beginning of the trial and then after 14 months. Results: After drop outs, 54 and 50 participants remained in treatment and control groups, respectively. In treatment group, mean difference in scores of Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary were -0.91 and 3.59, respectively which did not differ compared with control group (P= 0.90 and 0.40, respectively). Total score was 91.35±7.11 at the beginning of the trial in the treatment group and was increased to 93.84 ±6.36 after 14 months. Similarly, Total scores were changed from 92.63±7.03 to 93.31±7.51 in control group (P= 0.46). No significant effect of omega-3 PUFAs on any domains of SF-36 questionnaire could be detected. Conclusion: Our study does not support the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid in improvement of QoL among individuals with SCI which may be due to lack of existence of active inflammatory reactions in stable phase of SCI.

Quality of Life, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Spinal Cord Injury, Health Survey

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