Hwang Inkyung, Cha Aeri, Lee Hyosun, Yoon Hyejung, Yoon Taeho, Cho Byungmann, Lee Suill, Park Yongsoon
Department of Preventive and Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Pusan, South Korea.
Lipids. 2007 Apr;42(4):345-9. doi: 10.1007/s11745-007-3033-9. Epub 2007 Mar 20.
Atopy is a growing problem for Korean children. Since eicosapentaenoic acid is a precursor of less active inflammatory eicosanoids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may have a protective effect on atopy. This study was undertaken to determine whether n-3 PUFA in red blood cells (RBC) is lower in atopic than in non-atopic preschoolers. Three hundred and eight Korean children aged 4-6 years were enrolled. Total RBC fatty acid composition was measured by gas chromatography. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, or asthma was 29%. Total RBC n-3 PUFA were lower in preschoolers with atopy than controls (9.8 +/- 1.2 vs. 11.4 +/- 1.6%; P<0.05), while n-6 PUFA (33.0 +/- 1.4 vs. 32.2 +/- 1.0%; P<0.05) and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio (3.4 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.5; P<0.05) were greater. The following factors were also associated with an increase in atopy: higher saturated fatty acids (39.6 +/- 1.4 vs. 40.6 +/- 1.9; P<0.05) and arachidonic acid (15.3 +/- 1.6 vs. 16.0 +/- 2.9; P<0.05), and lower total PUFA (43.8 +/- 0.7 vs. 42.8 +/- 1.4; P<0.05) and omega-3 index (EPA + DHA; 9.1 +/- 0.8 vs. 7.8 +/- 0.5; P<0.05) in RBC. Maternal history of atopy was a significant (P<0.05) risk factor, while lactation was not. The results suggest that a reduced content of n-3 PUFA in the RBC membrane could play a role in early children atopy.
