Purpose: To 1) critically appraise available randomized controlled trials (RTCs) addressing the efficacy of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids as a secondary prevention agent of hypertriglyceridemia, and 2) make recommendations for clinical practice.
Data Sources: All RCTs identified from several databases from 1993-2003 were reviewed by two independent reviewers who extracted data from each study and used the previously tested Boyack and Lookinland Methodological Quality Index (MQI) to determine study quality.
Results: Ten studies reported long-chain ω-3 fatty acids to be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The average decrease in triglycerides (TG) was 29%, total cholesterol (TC) 11.6%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) 30.2%, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 32.5%. One study found LDLs to increase by 25%. The average increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was 10%. The overall average MQI score was 36% (26%-54%). Many of the RCTs had serious shortcomings including short duration, lack of a power analysis, no intention to treat analysis, no report of blind assessment of outcome, and lack of dietary control as a confounding variable.
Conclusions/Implications: Overall study methodology was weak. Although the evidence supporting the use of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids in the secondary prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is reasonably strong, until there are larger RCTs of stronger methodological quality, it is not recommended to treat hypertriglyceridemia with ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in lieu of lipid lowering medications.
","abstract_html":"<p>Purpose: To 1) critically appraise available randomized controlled trials (RTCs) addressing the efficacy of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids as a secondary prevention agent of hypertriglyceridemia, and 2) make recommendations for clinical practice.</p> <p>Data Sources: All RCTs identified from several databases from 1993-2003 were reviewed by two independent reviewers who extracted data from each study and used the previously tested Boyack and Lookinland Methodological Quality Index (MQI) to determine study quality.</p> <p>Results: Ten studies reported long-chain ω-3 fatty acids to be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The average decrease in triglycerides (TG) was 29%, total cholesterol (TC) 11.6%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) 30.2%, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 32.5%. One study found LDLs to increase by 25%. The average increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was 10%. The overall average MQI score was 36% (26%-54%). Many of the RCTs had serious shortcomings including short duration, lack of a power analysis, no intention to treat analysis, no report of blind assessment of outcome, and lack of dietary control as a confounding variable.</p> <p>Conclusions/Implications: Overall study methodology was weak. Although the evidence supporting the use of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids in the secondary prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is reasonably strong, until there are larger RCTs of stronger methodological quality, it is not recommended to treat hypertriglyceridemia with ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in lieu of lipid lowering medications.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lewis, Amanda Gloria"],"institution":"Brigham Young University - Provo","degree_name":"MS","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":null,"date_issued":"","date_published":null,"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:27:25Z","subjects":["Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids","eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)","docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)","hypertriglyceridemia","hyperlipidemia","systematic review","critical appraisal","alpha linolenic acid","omega-6 fatty acids","Nursing"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/161","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lewis, Amanda Gloria"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2004-06-29T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Brigham Young University - Provo"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Selected Project"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids","eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)","docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)","hypertriglyceridemia","hyperlipidemia","systematic review","critical appraisal","alpha linolenic acid","omega-6 fatty acids","Nursing"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/161","https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/context/etd/article/1160/viewcontent/ETD_CISOPTR_180.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Nursing; Nursing"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Purpose: To 1) critically appraise available randomized controlled trials (RTCs) addressing the efficacy of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids as a secondary prevention agent of hypertriglyceridemia, and 2) make recommendations for clinical practice.
Data Sources: All RCTs identified from several databases from 1993-2003 were reviewed by two independent reviewers who extracted data from each study and used the previously tested Boyack and Lookinland Methodological Quality Index (MQI) to determine study quality.
Results: Ten studies reported long-chain ω-3 fatty acids to be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The average decrease in triglycerides (TG) was 29%, total cholesterol (TC) 11.6%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) 30.2%, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 32.5%. One study found LDLs to increase by 25%. The average increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was 10%. The overall average MQI score was 36% (26%-54%). Many of the RCTs had serious shortcomings including short duration, lack of a power analysis, no intention to treat analysis, no report of blind assessment of outcome, and lack of dietary control as a confounding variable.
Conclusions/Implications: Overall study methodology was weak. Although the evidence supporting the use of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids in the secondary prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is reasonably strong, until there are larger RCTs of stronger methodological quality, it is not recommended to treat hypertriglyceridemia with ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in lieu of lipid lowering medications.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application:pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Brigham Young University - Provo"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia with Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Systematic Review"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Lewis, Amanda Gloria"],"dc:date":["2004-06-29T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description":["Nursing; Nursing"],"dc:description.abstract":["Purpose: To 1) critically appraise available randomized controlled trials (RTCs) addressing the efficacy of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids as a secondary prevention agent of hypertriglyceridemia, and 2) make recommendations for clinical practice.
Data Sources: All RCTs identified from several databases from 1993-2003 were reviewed by two independent reviewers who extracted data from each study and used the previously tested Boyack and Lookinland Methodological Quality Index (MQI) to determine study quality.
Results: Ten studies reported long-chain ω-3 fatty acids to be effective in the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. The average decrease in triglycerides (TG) was 29%, total cholesterol (TC) 11.6%, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) 30.2%, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 32.5%. One study found LDLs to increase by 25%. The average increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) was 10%. The overall average MQI score was 36% (26%-54%). Many of the RCTs had serious shortcomings including short duration, lack of a power analysis, no intention to treat analysis, no report of blind assessment of outcome, and lack of dietary control as a confounding variable.
Conclusions/Implications: Overall study methodology was weak. Although the evidence supporting the use of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids in the secondary prevention of hypertriglyceridemia is reasonably strong, until there are larger RCTs of stronger methodological quality, it is not recommended to treat hypertriglyceridemia with ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in lieu of lipid lowering medications.
"],"dc:format":["application:pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/161","https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/context/etd/article/1160/viewcontent/ETD_CISOPTR_180.pdf"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["Brigham Young University - Provo"],"dc:source":["Brigham Young University - Provo"],"dc:subject":["Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids","eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)","docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)","hypertriglyceridemia","hyperlipidemia","systematic review","critical appraisal","alpha linolenic acid","omega-6 fatty acids","Nursing"],"dc:title":["Treatment of Hypertriglyceridemia with Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Systematic Review"],"dc:type":["Selected Project"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:27:25Z"}