The relation between antioxidant status and alterations in fatty acid profile in patients with Crohn disease and controls

Background: A diminished antioxidant defence and alterations in the fatty a cid profile may pray a role in the pathophysiology of inflammation in Crohn disease (CD). Methods: Antioxidant status (serum antioxidant vitamins and minerals, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activity), disea se activity, dietary intake, and the fatty acid profile in plasma and eryth rocyte phospholipids were studied in patients with active CD (n = 12), inac tive CD (n = 50), and controls (n = 70). Eight patients with active CD were re-evaluated during the subsequent phase of clinical remission. The relati on between the variables was assessed by multiple linear regression. Result s: We observed a significantly diminished antioxidant status in patients wi th active CD compared with inactive CD and controls. Furthermore, the antio xidant defence was depleted in patients with inactive CD compared with cont rols. An aberrant fatty acid profile in plasma phospholipids was found in a ctive and inactive CD compared with controls. Multivariate analysis showed that the plasma phospholipid fatty acid indices were significantly associat ed with several antioxidants (p-carotene, vitamin E, and glutathione peroxi dase) in CD patients but nor in controls. Conclusion: The fatty acid profil e in CD patients is significantly associated with disease activity and seru m antioxidant concentrations. This observation, along with the diminished a ntioxidant defence in patients with active and inactive CD, indicates that antioxidants should be considered in the therapy of inflammation in CD.