Fish oil supplementation decreases serum soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand/osteoprotegerin ratio in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis

ObjectiveSoluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (sRANKL) to osteoprotegerin ratio is designated as a bone metabolism equation in many rheumatologic disorders and would be modified with fish oil (FO) supplementation.Design and methodsEighty-three females with rheumatoid arthritis were divided randomly to 40 and 43 patients treated with (1 g/day) or without FO for 3 months accompanied with conventional drugs, respectively. Osteoprotegerin, sRANKL, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) serum levels were measured before and after treatment.ResultsSerum levels of osteoprotegerin increased, although sRANKL, TNFα and sRANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio decreased with FO therapy.A significant positive correlation was observed between sRANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio and TNFα levels (r = 0.327, p = 0.040) in the FO-treated group.ConclusionsFO could decrease the inflammatory response by lowering of serum TNFα levels and sRANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio.