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Targeted alterations in dietary n-3 and n-6 fatty acids improve life functioning and reduce psychological distress among patients with chronic headache: a secondary analysis of a randomized trial
- Source :
- Pain, vol 156, iss 4
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries, 2015.
-
Abstract
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are precursors of bioactive lipid mediators posited to modulate both physical pain and psychological distress. In a randomized trial of 67 subjects with severe headaches, we recently demonstrated that targeted dietary manipulation-increasing omega-3 fatty acids with concurrent reduction in omega-6 linoleic acid (the H3-L6 intervention)-produced major reductions in headache compared with an omega-6 lowering (L6) intervention. Because chronic pain is often accompanied by psychological distress and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL), we used data from this trial to examine whether the H3-L6 intervention favorably impacted these domains. Additionally, we examined the effect of the interventions on the number of cases with substantial physical or mental impairments as defined by cutoff values in the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), Medical Outcomes Study Short Forms 12 (SF-12), Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), and the number of headache days per month. In the intention-to-treat analysis, participants in the H3-L6 group experienced statistically significant reductions in psychological distress (BSI-18 mean difference: -6.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -11.43 to -1.69) and improvements in SF-12 mental (mean difference: 6.01; 95% CI: 0.57 to 11.45) and physical (mean difference: 6.65; 95% CI: 2.14 to 11.16) health summary scores. At 12 weeks, the proportion of subjects experiencing substantial impairment according to cutoff values in the BSI-18, SF-12 physical, HIT-6, and headache days per month was significantly lower in the H3-L6 group. Dietary manipulation of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, previously shown to produce major improvements in headache, was found to also reduce psychological distress and improve HRQOL and function.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Headache Disorders
Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities
Stress
Medical and Health Sciences
Clinical Research
Anesthesiology
Complementary and Integrative Health
Behavioral and Social Science
Humans
Omega-6
Nutrition
Omega-3
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Headaches
Mental Disorders
Prevention
Fatty Acids
Pain Research
Rehabilitation
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
Middle Aged
Mental Health
Good Health and Well Being
Quality of Life
Psychological
Female
Chronic Pain
Mind and Body
Algorithms
Follow-Up Studies
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Pain, vol 156, iss 4
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b6ece1737d43823cb4c517e8a67091ca
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.17615/tf9t-cz57