Obesity and Asthma: Nutrigenetic Response to Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Obesity increases the risk for asthma diagnosis in children and adults. With obesity on the
rise, a better understanding of this association may become critically important to public
health. We will determine the impact of fish oil-derived Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on asthma control among obese asthmatics. These omega-3 fatty
acids have been shown to: reduce inflammation important to asthma and improve asthma
outcomes in an inconsistent manner across previous smaller studies - results that are
consistent with a pharmacogenetic influence. There exists evidence that omega-3 fatty acid
response displays a pharmacogenetic response related to ALOX5 genotype. Preliminary data
suggests that obese individuals are at greater risk for possessing this same ALOX5 variant
and thus obese asthmatics may be more responsive to fish oil. We will determine (in a
sub-aim) if there exists an ALOX5 genotype-related response effect with fish oil. This will
be the largest clinical trial of omega-3 fatty acid for the treatment of asthma, and the
first applying pharmacogenetic/nutrigenetic analysis.

Inclusion Criteria:

- age 12-25

- BMI > 25 (age 18-25) or BMI%>85th (age 12-17) (BMI Liberalized)

- Physician diagnosis of persistent asthma

- Lung function responsiveness by bronchodilator reversibility or bronchoprovocation
testing

Exclusion Criteria:

- pregnancy

- currently taking LTRA for asthma control

- other serious chronic medical condition

- bleeding diathesis