title: Seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and fatty acid intake: a cross-sectional study in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the associations of fatty acid intake with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects consisted of 1012 women aged 22 to 57 years (mean age +/- SD: 36.5+/-7.7 years), who had graduated from the Aichi Prefectural Junior College of Nursing, Nagoya, Japan. They completed a self-administered questionnaire on symptoms of the disease in August 1998. Symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in spring were determined by response to the questionnaire, and fatty acid intake was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) were computed using unconditional logistic models to assess the strength of associations between the symptoms and fatty acid intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increasing trend in the ORs was observed with increasing dietary intake of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. After adjustment for potential confounders, the ORs for the second, third, and highest quartiles of intake relative to the lowest were 1.28 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.78-2.10], 1.55 (0.96-2.50), and 1.74 (1.09-2.77), respectively (trend p = 0.015). Consumption of saturated, monounsaturated, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was not significantly related to the symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary intake of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids was positively associated with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in spring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine/Biostatistics and Medical Decision-Making, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamakoshi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated