title: Liver fatty acids and the sudden infant death syndrome.
abstract: Fatty acid analyses were performed on samples of liver from 325 human infants less than 1 yr old, 275 of whom had died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and 50 of other causes (non-SIDS). Data for fatty acid composition were analyzed in relation to cause of death, age of infant, liver biotin, liver metals, and other variables by a variety of statistical methods. There were significant differences in the levels of liver fatty acids between SIDS and non-SIDS infants in the age group 1 to 6 months, notably in that the fatty acids of the SIDS infants appeared to have lower levels of dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid, which is the precursor of the "1-series" prostaglandins. Statistically significant relationships were observed between various fatty acids, and there were also significant relationships involving docosapentaenoic acid and infant age, and docosahexaenoic acid and liver iron content.
mesh_terms: D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D000367:Age Factors; D001710:Biotin / Q000032:analysis; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis*; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D001710:Biotin; D007501:Iron; D015126:8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic Acid; C026219:docosapentaenoic acid