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NCT Number: NCT00122954

Fish Oil for the Treatment of Depression in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

This study will determine whether fish oil can reduce depression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are mild to moderately depressed and are currently taking antidepressant medication.

Study hypothesis: Three months of fish oil supplementation will improve depression scores on the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale (MADRS) or Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) better than placebo.

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Key information

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS Demyelinating Diseases Depression Immune System Diseases Nervous System Diseases

Age range

18 year–85 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1 / Phase 2

Primary location

Oregon Health and Science University

Portland, Oregon, 97239, United States

About this study

Depression occurs in 50% to 60% of all individuals with MS. Evidence suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements can significantly reduce depression with a low risk of side effects. Therefore, fish oil supplements may be a safe adjunctive therapy to improve the therapeutic benefits of antidepressants. This study will determine the effectiveness of fish oil supplements in reducing depression in MS patients who are taking antidepressant medication.

This study will last 3 months. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either fish oil supplements or placebo daily for 3 months. At the end of 3 months, participants who show an improvement in their depressive symptoms will have the option to continue their treatment for an additional 3 months. Participants will do no respond to treatment will be excused from the study. All participants will remain on their antidepressants and MS medication throughout the study. Participants will have weekly study visits. At each visit, participants will be asked about their general health, and self-report scales will be used to assess depressive symptoms. Medication adherence will be monitored by pill counts and through red blood cell fatty acid analysis. Blood collection will occur at study start and at study completion.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS
  • Diagnosis of depressive disorder
  • Score between 11 and 30 on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
  • Score of 25 or greater on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
  • Currently taking antidepressant medication for at least 3 months prior to study entry

Exclusion criteria

  • Currently taking fatty acid supplements
  • Consume more than 6 oz of fish per week within 1 month prior to study entry
  • Severe depression
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Other psychological disorders
  • Currently taking more than two types of antidepressants
  • Any serious medical condition that would interfere with the study
  • Worsening of MS symptoms or corticosteroid treatment within 1 month prior to study entry
  • Current enrollment in another fish oil study
  • Pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

Fish oil concentrate

Drug

fish oil concentrate at a daily dose of 6 grams (2.1 gram EPA and 1.5 gram DHA).

Other names: omega-3 fatty acids

Placebo

Drug

soybean oil with 1% fish oil at a daily dose of 6 grams

Primary outcomes

  1. Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

    Time frame: baseline to 3 months

    Higher MADRS scores indicate more severe depression, and the overall score ranges from 0-60. A score of 0-6 indicates symptoms absent, 7-19 indicates mild depression, 20-34 moderate, and > 34 severe. Our primary outcome was 50% or greater improvement on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Quality of Life (SF-36)

    Time frame: baseline to 3 months

    SF-36 is a commonly used measure of health-related quality of life and is well validated in many disease conditions. Responses are self-administered and responses are summed into two subscores, the mental component summary (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS). The SF-36 has eight scaled scores, which are the weighted sums of the questions in their section. Each scale is directly transformed on a 0-100 scale. Higher scores represent higher function.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oregon Health and Science University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Registry information

Official study title

Fish Oil as an Adjunct Therapy for Depression in Multiple Sclerosis

Important dates

Study start
2005
Primary completion
2009
Study completion
2009
First posted
Jul 22, 2005
Registry last updated
Jun 8, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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