Pike Katharine C, Calder Philip C, Inskip Hazel M, Robinson Sian M, Roberts Graham C, Cooper Cyrus, Godfrey Keith M, Lucas Jane S A
Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton S016 6YD, UK.
Clin Dev Immunol. 2012;2012:474613. doi: 10.1155/2012/474613. Epub 2012 Sep 25.
Variation in exposure to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) might influence the development of atopy, asthma, and wheeze. This study aimed to determine whether differences in PUFA concentrations in maternal plasma phosphatidylcholine are associated with the risk of childhood wheeze or atopy. For 865 term-born children, we measured phosphatidylcholine fatty acid composition in maternal plasma collected at 34 weeks' gestation. Wheezing was classified using questionnaires at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months and 6 years. At age of 6 years, the children underwent skin prick testing, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) measurement, and spirometry. Maternal n-6 fatty acids and the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids were not associated with childhood wheeze. However, higher maternal eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and total n-3 fatty acids were associated with reduced risk of non-atopic persistent/late wheeze (RR 0.57, 0.67 and 0.69, resp. P = 0.01, 0.015, and 0.021, resp.). Maternal arachidonic acid was positively associated with FENO (P = 0.024). A higher ratio of linoleic acid to its unsaturated metabolic products was associated with reduced risk of skin sensitisation (RR 0.82, P = 0.013). These associations provide some support for the hypothesis that variation in exposure to n-6 and n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy influences the risk of childhood wheeze and atopy.
多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFAs）暴露的差异可能会影响特应性、哮喘和喘息的发展。本研究旨在确定母体血浆磷脂酰胆碱中PUFA浓度的差异是否与儿童喘息或特应性风险相关。对于865名足月出生的儿童，我们测量了妊娠34周时采集的母体血浆中磷脂酰胆碱的脂肪酸组成。在6、12、24、36个月和6岁时通过问卷对喘息进行分类。在6岁时，对儿童进行皮肤点刺试验、呼出一氧化氮分数（FENO）测量和肺功能测定。母体n-6脂肪酸以及n-3与n-6脂肪酸的比例与儿童喘息无关。然而，母体中较高的二十碳五烯酸、二十二碳六烯酸和总n-3脂肪酸与非特应性持续性/迟发性喘息风险降低相关（相对风险分别为0.57、0.67和0.69，P值分别为0.01、0.015和0.021）。母体花生四烯酸与FENO呈正相关（P = 0.024）。亚油酸与其不饱和代谢产物的比例较高与皮肤致敏风险降低相关（相对风险0.82，P = 0.013）。这些关联为孕期n-6和n-3脂肪酸暴露的差异会影响儿童喘息和特应性风险这一假说提供了一些支持。
