PUFFIN
Research type
Research Study
Full title
THE EFFICACY AND MECHANISMS OF ACTION OF N-3 POLY-UNSATURATED FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENTATION IN PEOPLE WITH NON-STEROIDAL EXACERBATED AIRWAYS DISEASE AND UNCONTROLLED ASTHMA. Poly-unsaturated fats for improving nasal polyps and asthma (PUFFIN)
IRAS ID
1004006
Contact name
Andrew Wilson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Eudract number
2021-003641-38
Research summary
Some people with asthma are allergic to aspirin and similar painkillers, like ibuprofen which make their asthma worse. This type of asthma can be difficult to treat. We know that being allergic to aspirin causes high levels of inflammatory chemicals (called leukotrienes). Taking omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements has been shown to change leukotrienes. This may reduce the inflammation in the lungs and improve asthma symptoms.
We aim to test if dietary supplements improve asthma symptoms. This will be done using questionnaires, measuring breathing and chemicals in breath, sputum (spit), blood and urine to find out how the supplements may be working.
We plan to do a clinical trial identifying 98 from hospitals throughout the UK who have troublesome aspirin sensitive asthma. At the beginning of the study, we will ask patients to complete questionnaires about their asthma symptoms and general wellbeing, perform routine breathing tests and to give blood and urine samples to measure inflammation. Some patients will be asked to produce a sputum sample after inhaling salty mist to measure standard and new tests of inflammation. People will be given either six omega-3 fatty acid capsules, or dummy capsules (placebo), every day for six months. We will repeat these tests after 3 months and 6 months. We will measure the amount of the fats in patients’ blood cells to work out if they have been taking the capsules. The results will tell us if omega-3 fatty acids improve peoples’ asthma symptoms or not and whether they change the inflammatory chemicals. The study will be undertaken by doctors and researchers with experience of asthma, aspirin sensitivity, omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory chemicals. We will widely publicise our results in medical publications, media articles and social media. Hopefully, as a result of the study, asthma treatment guidelines will be changed.REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0096
Date of REC Opinion
31 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion