Table 3 Adverse events (AEs)

Bjørneboe 1988 [13]

Fish oil

Routine lab: none of the parameters changed significantly during the trial (CBC, ESR, creatinine, albumin, ALT, GGT, bleeding time, triglyceride, cholesterol).

Danno 1998 [14]

Fish oil + Etretinate

Cheilitis, dry mouth, dry eyes, desquamation of palms, folliculitis, gastric symptoms, and increased liver enzymes. All were mild or tolerable. No significant difference in the incidence between intervention and control groups.

Grimminger 1993 [15]

Fish oil (intravenous)

No obvious side effect except for rare irritations at the site of peripheral intravenous route; routine lab: not change substantially (ESR, CRP, cholesterol, triglyceride, BUN, ALT, GGT, amylase, lipase, coagulation variables).

Gupta 1989 [17]

Fish oil + UVB phototherapy

No side effect was reported in either group.

Gupta 1990 [16]

Fish oil + betamethasone

diproprionate cream

An occasional fishy taste upon eructation in one patient on fish oil and one on olive oil therapy; transient diarrhea at beginning of therapy in 2 patients on fish oil

Kristensen 2018 [18]

Fish oil

Mild gastrointestinal adverse effects (9 in intervention group and 6 in control group)

Mayser 1998 [20]

Fish oil (intravenous) + 3% salicyclic acid

Most frequently reported in intervention group: superficial thrombophlebitis; most frequently reported in control group: superficial thrombophlebitis, pruritus, hypertriglyceridemia, and fever; no severe AEs; routine lab: not substantially change (AST, ALT, Alk-P, creatinine, blood glucose, CBC/DC, total cholesterol, triglyceride)

Strong 1993 [23]

Fish oil + evening primrose oil

Blood test: remained unchanged throughout the trial (CBC, urea, creatinine, total lipids, HDL and LDL, cholesterol, triglyceride, electrolytes)

Veale 1994 [24]

Fish oil + evening primrose oil

No significant differences in lab indices including ESR, CRP, hemoglobin, urea, electrolytes, liver enzymes