J Vis Exp. 2026 Aug 28;(234). doi: 10.3791/71894.
ABSTRACT
Short-term associations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-enriched oral nutritional supplementation (ONS) with hematological, nutritional, and immune-inflammatory outcomes were evaluated in a retrospective cohort of 87 malnourished or nutritionally at-risk patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. During a 3-week observation period, 46 patients received omega-3 PUFA-enriched ONS plus dietary counseling, whereas 41 received dietary counseling alone. The groups differed at baseline in tumor site, body-weight status, and recent weight loss, whereas oncological treatment category and supportive treatment did not differ statistically. Unadjusted change analyses showed a smaller decline in neutrophil (NE) count in the ONS group (P for Δ = 0.007), whereas between-group differences in white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) changes were not statistically significant. The larger reductions in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in the control group coincided with greater declines in NE and PLT and were therefore not interpreted as evidence of an anti-inflammatory benefit. In linear regression models adjusted for the corresponding baseline value, tumor site, and weight-loss status, ONS receipt was associated with higher week-3 body weight (adjusted difference, 1.49 kg; 95% CI, 0.58-2.39; P = 0.002), body mass index (BMI) (0.51 kg/m2; 95% CI, 0.19-1.02; P = 0.002), WBC (1.08 × 109/L; 95% CI, 0.24-1.92; P = 0.012), and NE count (0.97 × 109/L; 95% CI, 0.30-1.64; P = 0.005). Adjusted NLR was also higher in the ONS group (adjusted difference, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.07-1.13; P = 0.028), whereas PLT, C-reactive protein (CRP), PLR, SII, albumin (ALB), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) did not differ significantly. Thus, receipt of omega-3 PUFA-enriched ONS was associated with a potential myeloprotective effect and more favorable short-term weight outcomes, but not with a consistent reduction in systemic inflammation.
PMID:42667193 | DOI:10.3791/71894
