Preliminary Study on Treatment Outcomes and Prednisolone Tapering after Marine Lipid Extract EAB-277 Supplementation in Dogs with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in dogs is a common autoimmune disease which is accompanied with a high death rate and therapeutic challenges. A natural anti-inflammatory nutraceutical product, EAB-277, is derived from marine lipids. Unfortunately, the effects of EAB-277 in IMHA dogs has rarely been investigated. The objective of this study is to assess the clinical effects of EAB-277 and prednisolone dose-tapering for supplemental therapy in IMHA dogs. The findings provide evidence that standard therapy combined with EAB-277 can improve hematological and blood chemistry profiles, resulting in a higher survival rate in IMHA dogs. Furthermore, EAB-277 supplementation can reduce prednisolone dosage tapering and improve the quality of life of IMHA dogs. However, a longer-term study with a larger sample size is necessary to corroborate these findings. As a result, marine EAB-277 is a promising alternative to existing medication for IMHA. Since the nutraceuticals have been utilized not only for nutrition but also as supplemental therapy for the treatment of a wide range of illnesses, such as minimizing the adverse effects of immunosuppressive therapy with steroids. ABSTRACT: Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a common autoimmune disorder in dogs with a high fatality rate and it remains a therapeutic challenge. The marine lipid extract, EAB-277, is a natural anti-inflammatory nutraceutical product. However, the effects of EAB-277 in IMHA dogs has rarely been investigated. The objective of this study is to assess the clinical effects of EAB-277 and prednisolone dose-tapering for supplemental therapy in IMHA dogs. Prednisolone was given to 18 anemic IMHA dogs according to a standard regimen. Six dogs were supplementally treated with EAB-277 for 28 days and the remaining twelve dogs were a control group of untreated supplementations. The results demonstrate that the supplement group showed slightly better survival rates (66.7 ± 19.2%) than the control group (16.7 ± 0.7%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.408). When compared to pre-therapy, the supplement group’s blood profiles improved (p < 0.05). The EAB-277 treated group showed a moderate decrease in the incidence rate (4.20 times) of prednisolone tapering compared to the control group. The dosage reduction of prednisolone in supplement group was more than that in the control group (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest that EAB-277 supplementation may enhance clinical outcomes and lessen prednisolone dose-tapering in canine IMHA therapy.