Adjunctive n-3 PUFA supplementation improves niacin skin flush response and shows biomarker-stratified signals in schizophrenia.
Shijing Wang, Qiunan Chen, Fanfan Zheng et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial examined adjunctive n-3 PUFA supplementation in patients with schizophrenia (SZ), assessing niacin skin flush response (NSFR) and symptoms over 21 days. Among 99 patients randomized to standard pharmacotherapy alone or with supplementation, NSFR improved significantly only in the supplementation group. Adjusted analysis found a group-by-time interaction for NSFR (standardized β = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.08 to 1.06, P = 0.025). Exploratory analyses suggested the largest NSFR increase, and a directionally favorable PANSS change, among supplemented patients with blunted baseline NSFR.
Key findings
- Baseline NSFR was significantly lower in patients with SZ than in healthy controls (P = 7.097 × 10 -6 ).
- NSFR improved significantly only with n-3 PUFA supplementation; the group-by-time interaction was standardized β = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.08 to 1.06, P = 0.025.
- Patients with blunted baseline NSFR receiving supplementation had the largest significant NSFR increase and a directionally favorable PANSS total score change.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that a physiological response measure may help identify patients more likely to show a short-term biomarker response to adjunctive n-3 PUFA. This is relevant because prior evidence for supplementation in schizophrenia has been inconsistent. However, the stratified result is exploratory, and the study supports further evaluation of NSFR rather than establishing it as a validated treatment-selection tool.
What to keep in mind
The intervention lasted only 21 days, and the favorable findings in patients with blunted baseline NSFR came from exploratory stratified analysis.