High Omega-3/Low Omega-6 Treatment Diet for Aspirin-exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD)

A Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of a High Omega-3/Low Omega-6 Treatment Diet for Treating Aspirin-exacerbated Respiratory Disease

The purpose of this trial is to test the hypothesis that a treatment diet low in omega-6 fatty acids and high in omega-3 fatty acids can cause improvement in asthma symptoms, nasal symptoms, and pulmonary function in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).

Inclusion Criteria:

• History of physician-diagnosed asthma
• History of nasal polyposis
• History of at least two reactions to oral aspirin or other nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitor with features of lower airway involvement (cough, chest tightness, wheezing, dyspnea), or diagnosis of AERD via a physician-conducted challenge to aspirin
• Age between 18 and 70 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current smoking, defined as daily tobacco smoking in the last 6 months and at least one instance of tobacco smoking in the last 3 months.
• Current pregnancy or breastfeeding
• BMI <20
• History of allergy to fish or any unwillingness to eat fish as a regular part of the diet
• Use of Zyflo (zileuton) in the last two weeks
• Presence of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
• Use of oral steroids in the last two weeks
• Participation in any other clinical trial in the last month
• Any use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or any drug that inhibits the cyclooxygenase enzyme during the course of the study