Assessment the Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Sudanese patients with Sickle Cell Anemia; Khartoum

Abstract

Sickle cell anemia is life threat disease and presence of HbS in homozygous state (SS) influences the red cell stability and rate of survival; this prospective case control analytical and descriptive study to assess the effect of omega-3 supplementation in Sudanese patients with sickle cell anemia. Patients aged 5–35 years with HbSS, who were undergoing regular follow-up at the outpatient Sickle Cell Disease Referral Clinic, Ibn-Aoaf Pediatrics and Khartoum Teaching Hospitals, Khartoum (Sudan) from March 2013 up to June 2013. Seventy eight patients recruited from a single center they have randomly assigned to receive omega-3 fatty supplementation for at least two year. Identification of control group of thirty five individuals have been selected randomly.5ml of venous blood was collected, into Ethylene Di-amine Tetra-acetic Acid (EDTA) bottles and was used to determine complete blood counts (CBC) within 2 hours of collection using Sysmex KN-21 N, while the remainder was used to prepare haemolysate for haemoglobin electrophoresis and for reticulocyte count. Among the study; hemolytic variables were compared between both groups and revealed that there is significant difference in mean Hb (g/dl) between omega-3 group (7.7 ± 1.4) and group free of omega-3 (6.6 ± 0.69) (P.value < 0.0001), also the differences were significant among Total Red Blood Cells count X 103 C/Ml (2.7 ± 0.57 / 2.5 ± 0.4), hematocrit % (22.7 ± 4.2 / 21.2 ± 2.3), and Mean Cell Hemoglobin pg (28.9 ± 3.1 / 27.0 ± 3.5) (P.value < 0.05) In contrast there is no difference in ‫/ 6.8 ± 5.58 ( ‪levels between study groups at Mean Cell Volume fl‬‬ ‫/ 2.2 ± 9.33( % ‪86.9 ± 9.8) and Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration‬‬ ‫‪33.6 ± 1.2) (P.value < 0.05) as well as sex and age had no‬‬ ‫.‪difference between study group and control group‬‬ ‫‪Studying bone marrow activity among the study groups by using‬‬ ‫‪Retics count and Reticulocyte production index with significant‬‬ ‫< ‪decrease in omega-3 group compared to control group (P.value‬‬ ‫‪0.0001) and this mean decrease erythropoiesis and thus‬‬ ‫‪haemolysis. These findings suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can‬‬ ‫‪be an effective, safe, and affordable therapy for sickle cell‬‬ ‫.‪anemia‬‬