linoleic-acid and Respiratory-Tract-Infections

Chronic inflammation plays a major role in lung deterioration in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and anti-inflammatory strategies have beneficial effects. To study the changes seen after a one-year course of low-dose dietary supplements with a mixture of fatty acids in adult patients with CF in chronic inflammation, pulmonary status (lung function, respiratory exacerbations and antibiotic consumption), quality of life and anthropometric parameters.. Seventeen adult subjects with CF received 324 mg of eicosapentaenoic, 216 mg of docosahexaenoic, 480 mg of linoleic and 258 mg of gammalinolenic acid daily. We assessed inflammation markers, spirometry parameters, number and severity of respiratory exacerbations, antibiotic consumption, quality of life (St George's QoL), anthropometric parameters and serum phospholipid fatty acid composition.. At the end of the treatment period TNF alpha levels fell significantly and its soluble receptors (60 and 80) rose significantly. Levels of IgG and IgM anti-oxidized LDL antibodies fell significantly. Spirometry improved significantly. Annual respiratory exacerbations and days of antibiotic treatment fell significantly. The improvement in QoL was not significant. Serum levels of docosahexaenoic, total omega-3 and linoleic acid rose significantly and more favourable profiles were seen in monoenoic acids, arachidonic acid and the arachidonic/docosahexaenoic ratio. The fat-free mass and hand grip dynamometry improved significantly.. Low-dose supplements of n-3 and gammalinolenic fatty acids over a long period (one year) appears to improve pulmonary status (lung function, respiratory exacerbations and antibiotic consumption), inflammatory and anthropometric parameters in adults with CF.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anthropometry; Autoantibodies; Body Composition; Cystic Fibrosis; Dietary Supplements; Docosahexaenoic Acids; Eicosapentaenoic Acid; Female; gamma-Linolenic Acid; Humans; Inflammation; Linoleic Acid; Lipoproteins, LDL; Male; Quality of Life; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; Respiratory Function Tests; Respiratory Tract Infections; Severity of Illness Index; Sputum; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Vitamin E; Young Adult

The diene conjugated linoleic acid isomer is currently used as an assay of free radical activity, but recent studies have cast doubt on the specificity of the assay. Therefore, 180 strains of common bacterial lung pathogens were studied to determine whether they could produce the diene conjugated isomer of linoleic acid in vitro. The various strains were grown in tissue culture fluid spiked with linoleic acid. Concentrations of the diene conjugated 18:2 [9,11] linoleic acid isomer and the parent compound, 18:2 [9,12] linoleic acid were then determined using a high performance liquid chromatography method. The percentage molar ratio of these two isomers was found to be significantly elevated in 12.8% of all bacterial strains examined. In contrast the thiobarbituric acid reactivity, a non-specific measure of lipid peroxidation, was not elevated in any of the strains incubated in an identical fashion. These results suggest that the diene conjugated linoleic assay may not be a reliable marker of the free radical processes in the lung in the presence of certain bacterial infections.

Topics: Bacteria; Biomarkers; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Culture Media; Free Radicals; Humans; Isomerism; Linoleic Acid; Linoleic Acids; Linoleic Acids, Conjugated; Respiratory Tract Infections; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances