The content and composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the plasma total lipid fraction of 51 Japanese children (age 3-10) with atopic eczema and those in age-matched healthy controls (
n=30) were studied by a simplified method for fatty acid analysis with gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). The PUFA content of the plasma total lipid (
p<0.001) and the amounts of linoleic (18:2 n-6,
p<0.01), dihomo-γ-linolenic (20:3 n-6,
p<0.05), and arachidonic (20:4 n-6,
p<0.05) acids were significantly lower in the atopic patients than in the control subjects. When atopic patients were fed candy-type jellies containing γ-linolenic acid-rich oil (180mg/day as the amount of γ-linolenic acid) for 8 weeks, the lower levels of PUFA significantly rose to those of the healthy controls. No side effects were observed in the PUFA profiles, n-6 and n-3 long-chain metabolites, or in clinical evaluations. The results indicate that the dietary intake of γ-linolenic acid-rich oil is an efficient additional therapy for young patients with atopic eczema who have altered states of fatty acid metabolism.
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