Feasibility Pilot Clinical Trial of Omega-3 Supplement vs. Placebo for Post Covid-19 Recovery Among Health Care Workers
- Registration Number
- NCT05121766
- Lead Sponsor
- Hackensack Meridian Health
- Brief Summary
This is a two-arm, double blind randomized 12-week study to supplement omega-3 (Eicosapentaenoic acid - EPA + docosahexaenoic acid - DHA) among 100 adults (age 18+) who had coronavirus-19 (covid-19) and are experiencing possible after-effects from post-acute sequelae of covid-19 (also called post-covid syndrome or long covid syndrome).
- Detailed Description
This is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two treatment arms:
Arm 1 - Omega-3 (Eicosapentaenoic acid - EPA + docosahexaenoic acid - DHA) - Dose is 2,100mg per day via 3 mini-capsules, 2x/day (a total of 6 mini-capsules per day). Each capsule has 252mg of EPA and 102mg of DHA.
Support for dosing:
* The American Heart Association (AHA) says taking up to 3 grams of fish oil daily in supplement form is considered safe;
* Up to 5,000mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day is considered safe;
* The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than 3 g/day of EPA and DHA combined, including up to 2 g/day from dietary supplements.
Arm 2 - Placebo - made from soybean oil (same dosing schedule as intervention arm)
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- TERMINATED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 32
- Team member at Hackensack Meridian Health
- Age: 18+
- Willing to provide informed consent
- Formal diagnosis of COVID-19 via Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)test (if home test was done, team member must confirm via PCR test)
- Outpatient treatment only for covid-19; no hospitalization (most team members will be vaccinated and may likely have milder case)
- Must be experiencing 1+ ongoing covid-19 symptom being measured in this study (respiratory symptoms (shortness of breath, cough), fatigue, loss of taste, loss of smell)
- Symptom(s) have persisted for more than 12 weeks after initial infection
- Symptom(s) coincided with covid-19 infection and were not present prior to covid-19 infection
- Does not have soy allergy
- Does not have allergy to fish
- Able to participate in bi-weekly surveys in Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap)
- Able to take own blood pressure and record it in bi-weekly REDCap survey
- Willing to participate in 12-week study and be assigned to either intervention or placebo arm
- Not currently taking an omega-3 supplement or other high-dose supplement (over 2,000 IU) with potential for aiding recovery of long covid syndrome (e.g. zinc, Vit C, Elderberry).
- Able to take/swallow six mini-pills daily
- Able and willing to give a spot blood sample (2 drops) at baseline and end of study.
- Not a Team Member at Hackensack Meridian Health
- Not age 18+
- Unwilling to provide informed consent/ declined to take part
- No formal diagnosis of COVID-19 via PCR test (if home test was done, team member must confirm via PCR test)
- Were hospitalized for treatment of covid-19
- Not experiencing 1+ ongoing covid-19 symptom being measured in this study (respiratory symptoms (shortness of breath, cough), fatigue, loss of taste, loss of smell)
- Symptom(s) have persisted for more than 12 weeks after initial infection
- Symptom(s) did not coincide with covid-19 infection and were present prior to covid-19 infection
- Does have soy allergy
- Does have allergy to fish
- Not able to participate in bi-weekly surveys in REDCap
- Able to take own blood pressure and record it in bi-weekly REDCap survey
- Not willing to participate in 12-week study and be assigned to either intervention or placebo arm
- Currently taking an omega-3 supplement or other high-dose supplement (over 2,000 IU) with potential for aiding recovery of long covid syndrome (e.g. zinc, Vit C, Elderberry).
- Unable to take/swallow six mini-pills daily
- Not able and not willing to give a spot blood sample (2 drops) at baseline and end of study.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Study arm - Omega 3 supplement Omega-3 (EPA+DHA) Omega-3 (EPA+DHA) - Dose is 2,100mg per day via 3 mini-capsules, 2x/day (a total of 6 mini-capsules per day). Each capsule has 252mg of EPA and 102mg of DHA. Control arm - placebo Placebo 3 Soybean Oil Placebo capsules 2x/day (a total of 6 mini-capsules per day).
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Feasibility Study for Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation v. Placebo in Adult Patients to Limit Long Covid Syndrome - Compliance as Captured by the Number of Participants Who Remain Compliant for the Whole Duration of the Study by Taking All Pills Daily 12 weeks Number of participants who remain compliant for 12 weeks
Feasibility Study for Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation v. Placebo in Adult Patients to Limit Long Covid Syndrome - Recruitment as Illustrated by the Number of Screen Failures (Potential Participants Approached But Not Interested in Participating). 6 months recruitment efforts (starting on actual study start date) Number of participants who expressed interest in learning about the study
Feasibility Study for Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation v. Placebo in Adult Patients to Limit Long Covid Syndrome - Retention as Illustrated by the Number of Participants That Initiate But do Not Complete the Study. 12 weeks Number of participants who initiate but do not complete study
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Impact of Omega-3 Supplement on Post-covid Symptoms - Shortness of Breath 12 weeks from baseline Self-reported shortness of breath as captured at baseline (self-completing survey-pre) and after 12 weeks of treatment with omega-3 (self-completing survey-post).
Impact of Omega-3 Supplement on Post-covid Symptoms - Cough 12 weeks from baseline Self-reported cough as captured at baseline (self-completing survey-pre) and after 12 weeks of treatment with omega-3 (self-completing survey-post).
Impact of Omega-3 Supplement on Post-covid Symptoms - Loss of Smell 12 weeks from baseline Self-reported loss of smell as captured at baseline (self-completing survey-pre) and after 12 weeks of treatment with omega-3 (self-completing survey-post).
Impact of Omega-3 Supplement on Post-covid Symptoms - Loss of Taste 12 weeks from baseline Self-reported loss of taste as captured at baseline (self-completing survey-pre) and after 12 weeks of treatment with omega-3 (self-completing survey-post).
Impact of Omega-3 Supplement on Post-covid Symptoms - Fatigue 12 weeks from baseline Self-reported fatigue as captured at baseline (self-completing survey-pre) and after 12 weeks of treatment with omega-3 (self-completing survey-post).
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Susan Dara
πΊπΈEdison, New Jersey, United States