Abnormal fatty acid composition in umbilical cord blood of infants at highrisk of atopic disease

It is well known that patients with atopic disease have anomalies of fatty acid composition in their blood. The aim of the present study was to evalua te whether infants from atopic families also have abnormal cord blood level s of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in plasma and red blo od cells. The levels of LC-PUFA in umbilical cord blood of 50 healthy, full -term infants with a hereditary risk of atopic disease were analysed and co mpared with a control group of 50 infants from families without a history o f atopic disease. The atopy group was comprised of children from families s uffering from atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma bronchiale and f ood allergy. Within this group, a group (n = 11) was formed in which the ri sk was determined only by paternal atopy. Fatty acids of plasma and red blo od cell phospholipids, triglycerides and sterol esters were separated by hi gh-resolution gas-liquid chromatography. In particular, the levels of arach idonic acid (C20:4n-6) and docosatetraenoic acid (C22:4n-6) were significan tly lower in infants at risk of atopic disease than in infants not at risk. Interestingly, there were more significant differences shown between the c ontrol group and the paternal atopy group than between the control group an d the entire atopy group. Conclusion: The results of this study could be due to a genetic influence o f fatty acid metabolism or could reflect the different dietary behaviours o f the mothers during pregnancy.