Dietary Intake, Fatty Acid Profile in Plasma and Neutrophil Phospholipids, and Serum Antioxidant Levels in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Abstract

To elucidate the efficacy of dietary therapy for Crohn's disease, we analyzed dietary intake, fatty acid composition of phospholipids in plasma and neutrophils, serum fat-soluble vitamin levels, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity in twenty Crohn's disease patients (15 males and 5 females, 11 with ileitis and 9 with ileocolitis, 30.6k8.2 year), who were treated at the Department of Gastroenterology of Okayama University Hospital. Total fat intake, fat energy ratio and linoleic acid intake were significantly lower, while protein and carbohydrate intakes were significantly higher, in the patients than in age and sex-matched controls. In the neutrophil phospholipids of Crohn's disease patients, significantly higher levels of total n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid and lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid were observed. The concentrations of serum retinol and 8-carotene but not a-tocopherol were significantly lower and serum oxygen radical absorbance capacity was also lower than in the controls. Significant correlations between serum oxygen radical absorbance capacity and zinc (~0.797, p<0.001) concentrations were observed in the Crohn's disease patients. A diet restricting the intake of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid and antioxidative trace minerals and vitamins may be recommended for the nutritional management of Crohn's disease patients.