Serum fatty acid profile in subjects with irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract Objective. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a fluctuating disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by abdominal pain and change in bowel habit. We wanted to investigate subjects with IBS for signs of disturbed intestinal absorption of fatty acids, as reflected in serum composition. Material and methods. Serum samples were obtained from 32 adults with IBS, and from 59 controls. Serum fatty acids were analyzed by capillary gas–liquid chromatography. Results. Especially the proportions of arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) and the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 family docosapentaenoic acid (22:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) were decreased in subjects with IBS. The proportions of unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were generally increased in IBS compared to controls. Conclusions. Although organic disease has been ruled out in patients with IBS, they presented signs of inadequate supply of long-chain fatty acids. Supplementation with n-3 fatty acids may be implicated.

[1]  T. Dinan,et al.  Marked elevations in pro-inflammatory polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolites in females with irritable bowel syndrome , 2010, Journal of Lipid Research.

[2]  T. Decsi,et al.  Methods of assessment of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status in humans: a systematic review. , 2009, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[3]  T. Lehtimäki,et al.  Serum fatty acid profile in celiac disease patients before and after a gluten-free diet , 2009, Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology.

[4]  U. Das,et al.  Lipids in Health and Disease BioMed Central Hypothesis , 2008 .

[5]  E. Mayer.  Clinical practice. Irritable bowel syndrome. , 2008, The New England journal of medicine.

[6]  P. Calder,et al.  Gender differences in the n-3 fatty acid content of tissues , 2008, Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.

[7]  S. Cunnane,et al.  Extremely limited synthesis of long chain polyunsaturates in adults: implications for their dietary essentiality and use as supplements. , 2007, Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme.

[8]  J. Lake,et al.  Omega-3 fatty acids: evidence basis for treatment and future research in psychiatry. , 2006, The Journal of clinical psychiatry.

[9]  F. Cuccurullo,et al.  Visceral Sensitivity and Symptoms in Patients with Constipation- or Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Effect of a Low-Fat Intraduodenal Infusion , 2005, The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

[10]  M. Maes,et al.  Fatty acid profile and affective dysregulation in irritable bowel syndrome , 2004, Lipids.

[11]  N. Zamaria.  Alteration of polyunsaturated fatty acid status and metabolism in health and disease. , 2004, Reproduction, nutrition, development.

[12]  A. Aro.  Fatty acid composition of serum lipids: is this marker of fat intake still relevant for identifying metabolic and cardiovascular disorders? , 2003, Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD.

[13]  M. Gérard-Boncompain,et al.  Specific changes in n -6 fatty acid metabolism in patients with chronic intestinal failure. , 2002, Clinical nutrition.

[14]  C. Funk,et al.  Prostaglandins and leukotrienes: advances in eicosanoid biology. , 2001, Science.

[15]  P. Rinaldo,et al.  Quantitative determination of plasma c8-c26 total fatty acids for the biochemical diagnosis of nutritional and metabolic disorders. , 2001, Molecular genetics and metabolism.

[16]  J. Arnaud,et al.  Plasma fatty acid status in Moroccan children: increased lipid peroxidation and impaired polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in protein-calorie malnutrition. , 2001, Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie.

[17]  K W Heaton,et al.  Functional bowel disorders and functional abdominal pain , 1999, Gut.

[18]  R. Lerman,et al.  Prevalence of essential fatty acid deficiency in patients with chronic gastrointestinal disorders. , 1996, Metabolism: clinical and experimental.

[19]  T. Nikkari,et al.  Fatty acid composition of serum lipid fractions in relation to gender and quality of dietary fat. , 1995, Annals of medicine.

[20]  N. Salem,et al.  The nervous system has an absolute molecular species requirement for proper function. , 1995, Molecular membrane biology.

[21]  M. G. Murphy.  Dietary fatty acids and membrane protein function. , 1990, The Journal of nutritional biochemistry.

[22]  G. Sturniolo,et al.  [Irritable bowel syndrome]. , 1988, Giornale di clinica medica.

[23]  E. Schaefer,et al.  Criteria for essential fatty acid deficiency in plasma as assessed by capillary column gas-liquid chromatography. , 1987, Clinical chemistry.

[24]  M. Kruszewska,et al.  The effect of gluten-free diet supplemented with Humana-MCT on the level of lipid fractions in blood serum of infants with coeliac disease. , 1987, Acta physiologica Polonica.

[25]  T. Nikkari.  Serum fatty acids and coronary heart disease in Finnish populations. , 1986, Progress in lipid research.

[26]  J. Viikari,et al.  Serum fatty acids in 8-year-old Finnish boys: correlations with qualitative dietary data and other serum lipids. , 1983, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[27]  J. Frézal,et al.  [Modifications of plasma lipids in disorders of intestinal absorption in children]. , 1965, Revue francaise d'etudes cliniques et biologiques.