Methods: Double-blinded, four-armed randomised controlled trial with 3.0 g/d of either n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) or gamma linolenic acid (GLA), resp. the combination of 1.5 g/d of each, resp. 3.0 g/d of olive oil over 12 weeks. Outcome parameters disease activity score (DAS28), C-reactive protein, concentrations of n-3 LC-PUFA, resp. GLA in plasma lipids (PL), cholesterol esters (CE), and erythrocyte membranes (EM), and serum concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA). Conventional antirheumatic and immunosuppressive therapies could be changed only within defined limits.