Essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency is a predisposing factor for pulmonary infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the two major pathogenic microorganisms in cystic fibrosis (CF).
Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the essential fatty acid status of CF patients from infancy to 20 years old.
Materials and methods: Plasma fatty acid profiles for phospholipid (PL) were determined for cord (n = 6), 4 months (n = 40), 16 months (n = 25), 3 y (n = 8), 5-10 y (n = 10), and 10-20 y (n = 10) aged CF patients and compared to their respective control; cord (n = 22), 1-36 months (n = 38) and adult (n = 100). Significance was established by Student's t-test (p < 0.05).
Results: The plasma PL fatty acid profile for all CF patients, except cord, revealed consistent deficiency in omega 3 and omega 6 EFAs. These deficiencies were most marked at infancy and more pronounced for patients with meconium ileus.
Conclusions and relevance: EFA deficiency may contribute to the predisposition of CF infants to develop respiratory disease and to the excess cytotoxic activity found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 2 months of age in the majority of screened infants.