A major research project into the potential of fish oils to help patients with inflammatory disease has won an important award in Ireland.
Dr Stephen Wright, a Queen's clinical research fellow, showed that fish oils can benefit patients with lupus, an inflammatory disease that affects the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs and nervous system.
Study participants who took low doses of omega-3 fish oil were found to have improved blood vessel function and a reduction in fatigue, joint pains, skin rashes, mouth ulcers and headaches.
"Part of my work was to investigate different aspects of vascular disease (blood vessels) in patients with lupus by studying the function of the cells lining the blood vessels," Dr Wright explained.
"I was able to show that in patients with lupus there was an impaired function that could be improved by omega-3 fish oils."
His work has gained him the 2007 Irish Society for Rheumatology Young Investigator of the Year Award.
A major research project into the potential of fish oils to help patients with inflammatory disease has won an important award in Ireland.
