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Omega-3 fatty acid monotherapy for pediatric bipolar disorder: a prospective open-label trial.

Wozniak J, Biederman J, Mick E, Waxmonsky J, Hantsoo L, Best C, Cluette-Brown JE, Laposata M

Pediatric Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02138, USA. jwozniak@partners.org

BACKGROUND: To test the effectiveness and safety of omega-3 fatty acids (Omegabrite(R) brand) in the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder (BPD). METHOD: Subjects (N=20) were outpatients of both sexes, 6 to 17 years of age, with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BPD and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) score of >15 treated over an 8-week period in open-label trial with omega-3 fatty acids 1290 mg-4300 mg combined EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). RESULTS: Subjects experienced a statistically significant but modest 8.9+/-2.9 point reduction in the YMRS scores (baseline YMRS=28.9+/-10.1; endpoint YMRS=19.1+/-2.6, p<0.001). Adverse events were few and mild. Red blood cell membrane levels of EPA and DHA increased in treated subjects. CONCLUSIONS: As only 35% of these subjects had a response by the usual accepted criteria of >50% decrease on the YMRS, omega-3 fatty acids treatment was associated with a very modest improvement in manic symptoms in children with BPD.

Published 2 April 2007 in Eur Neuropsychopharmacol, 17(6): 440-7.
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