Irish Omega-3 Study

University College Cork (UCC)

Status and phase: Unknown; Phase 2

Conditions: Psychotic Disorders

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: 1000mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 1000mg docosahexaenoic acid

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02848469

SMRI 11T-011

Details and patient eligibility

About

The Irish Omega-3 study is a clinical trial designed to investigate the potential of Omega-3 fatty acids in the reduction of risk of psychosis.

The study is being coordinated by the HRB Clinical Research Facility at University College Cork. The Principal Investigator is Dr Maeve Rooney, Consultant Psychiatrist in the Mercy University Hospital, Cork. The study will be carried out in collaboration with the HRB Clinical Research Facility in Dublin in prior to rolling out to other centres around Ireland.

The Study is funded by Stanley Medical Research Institute, a non-profit organization supporting research on the causes of, and treatments for, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It is the largest provider of funding for research in serious mental illness outside of the U.S. government.

Enrollment: 150 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 13 to 45 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects will be aged between 13 and 50 years.
• Written informed consent will be obtained from subjects, or, in the case of those under - eighteen, from their parent or guardian, with the assent of the participant.
• Subjects meet the criteria of UHR, according to the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes (SIPS) (Cannon et al., 2008, Woods et al., 2009).

Exclusion criteria

• Previous psychotic episode of at least one week's duration.
• Previous manic episode of at least one week's duration.
• Acute suicidal or aggressive behaviour.
• Substance dependence.
• Lactose intolerance/Milk allergy
• Intellectual disability, which in the opinion of the investigator would affect the person's ability to participate in the trial.
• Previous treatment with an antipsychotic or mood stabiliser for a psychiatric indication longer than 2 weeks in the previous three months.
• Consumption of over the counter or prescribed omega-3 fatty acids supplements within 12 weeks of entering the trial.
• Pregnancy/breast-feeding.
• Severe inter-current illness that may affect the ability of the participant to take part in the trial.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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150 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Omega-3 fatty acids

Active Comparator group

Description:

Subjects will receive food supplements in the form of 200ml juice drinks, containing either the active component, 1000mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 1000mg docosahexaenoic acid, or matching placebo for a duration of six months. Neither the active nor the placebo food supplements taste of fish, so the subject will be blind to whether he/she is receiving the active intervention or placebo.

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: 1000mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 1000mg docosahexaenoic acid

placebo 200ml juice drinks

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

200ml juice drinks

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: 1000mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 1000mg docosahexaenoic acid