The effect of lifestyle and dietary factors on disease activity in SLE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation of the exposure to inorganic and organic mercury and its relationship with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.
IRAS ID
167938
Contact name
Emeir McSorley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Ulster University
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN91649606
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic disease in which the immune system is dysregulated leading to inflammation that can affect any organ system. It is thought that genetic susceptibility may contribute to the development of SLE. The disease may worsen because of certain lifestyle or environmental factors individuals are exposed to. Similarly, research has also shown that a number of lifestyle factors will benefit the disease. Two lifestyle factors being investigated in this project are fish consumption and exposure to mercury. Fish contain many health promoting nutrients including “omega 3 fatty acids”. It is evident that omega 3 fatty acids decrease the risk of several chronic disease. The existing evidence suggests a favourable role for omega 3 fatty acids in the management of SLE symptoms. As well as containing health promoting nutrients, fish are also a source of mercury, the species of fish dictates the nutritional and mercury content. A further source of mercury exposure humans may encounter is through the presence of dental amalgams. Dental amalgams have been used as restorative material for over a century. Small quantities of mercury are secreted from amalgams and subsequently inhaled. Mercury exposure is increased during the insertion and removal of amalgams. There is a large amount of evidence that omega 3 fatty acid consumption is beneficial for individuals with SLE, however the research into mercury's role in SLE is both lacking and limited. Therefore this study aims to recruit SLE patients within Northern Ireland to investigate the benefits of consuming fish in the diet and to quantify their exposure to mercury and to examine if this is related to disease activity.
REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
14/NI/1139
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion