Fish oil supplements show promise for stubborn leg ulcers
NCT ID NCT03576989
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether taking fish oil supplements (EPA and DHA) could help heal chronic venous leg ulcers in adults aged 55 and older. The idea was that fish oil might reduce inflammation at the wound site, allowing the ulcer to heal. Researchers measured changes in blood markers of inflammation and wound size over 12 weeks in 96 participants.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- fish oil (EPA and DHA)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, low-cost way to help heal stubborn leg ulcers in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study focused on measuring inflammation markers, not actual healing rates. The results may not lead to a proven treatment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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96 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2019
- Finished
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Dec 2024
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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55 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Women and men ≥ 55 years of age with: * A CVLU between the ankle and knee that has been present for at least 4 weeks, but not longer than 12 months, prescribed compression therapy with 1-4 layer bandaging; * Ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) between 0.7 and 1.2; * Target wound area of 2-60 cm2 who can * Read and understand English or Spanish, and * Provide consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Fish allergy; * Corticosteroids or selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors (e.g., Celebrex); non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) \> 2x/week (exception: aspirin 81 mg/day); * Autoimmune diseases; * Chemotherapy within 6 months of Week 0; * Diabetes if HbA1c \> 12% or ulcer complicated by cellulitis, exposed tendon or bone.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The Ohio State University College of Nursing
Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States
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