Omega-3 Supplementation for Smell Dysfunction

Effect of Omega-3 Supplementation in Patients With Smell Dysfunction Following Endoscopic Pituitary Tumor Resection

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT02529332

Enrollment

110

Registered

2015-08-20

Start date

2014-09-30

Completion date

2018-04-30

Last updated

2018-08-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Sellar/Parasellar Tumor, Smell Dysfunction

Keywords

Endoscopic Sellar/Parasellar Tumor Resection

Brief summary

Omega-3 supplementation has been shown to have neuroprotective and potentially anti-inflammatory properties in both central and peripheral nerve injuries. The investigators are studying to see if omega-3 supplementation will affect olfactory (smell) function in patients with olfactory dysfunction following endoscopic removal of pituitary tumors.

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENTOmega-3

Nature Made Ultra Omega3 Fish Oil 1400mg softgels contains 1000mg of omega 3 per serving. Participants will be instructed to take twice daily for 6 months.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* sellar/parasellar tumor scheduled to undergo endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal resection * 18 years of age or older * English speaking

Exclusion criteria

* Currently using blood thinning agents (aside from NSAIDs or cardioprotective ASA) * elevated AST, ALT, or alk phos \>10% outside of normal range, if randomized to omega-3 group * diabetes, if randomized to omega-3 group and not already on omega-3 prescribed by another provider * unable to provide informed consent due cognitive deficiencies

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Difference in Olfactory Function at baseline, based upon tumor type (i.e. functional vs. non-functional tumor)	Baseline (pre-tumor resection)	The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) will be used to determine baseline olfactory function prior to sellar/parasellar tumor resection for all subjects.The test consists of a total of 40 scratch and sniff strips which the individual must select the correct odor from four choices. The test is scored out of 40 items. The number of correct answers regarding the smells being experienced is the subject's score. The higher the score the better the sense of smell.
Change in Olfactory Function over 6-month post-op period	Baseline (pre-tumor resection), at 6 months (post-tumor resection)	The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) will be used to determine baseline olfactory function prior to sellar/parasellar tumor resection for all subjects.The test consists of a total of 40 scratch and sniff strips which the individual must select the correct odor from four choices. The test is scored out of 40 items. The number of correct answers regarding the smells being experienced is the subject's score. The higher the score the better the sense of smell. A change in UPSIT scores of 10% or greater indicates a clinically significant improvement.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026