Fatty acid profile of oesophageal mucosa in children with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
BACKGROUND
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, as precursors of eicosanoids, are involved in the pathogenesis of oesophageal mucosal damage and healing.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a possible role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the pathogenesis of gastro-oesophageal reflux, we assayed fatty acids profile of oesophageal mucosal specimens obtained by endoscopy in children without oesophageal disease and children affected by gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.


METHODS
Eighteen children with normal 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring (GOR- group) and 18 children with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GOR+ group, eight with oesophagitis and 10 without), were included in the study.


METHODS
Fatty acids were extracted from oesophageal mucosal specimens obtained by endoscopy and assayed by gas chromatography.


RESULTS
In the GOR+ group we observed an increased percentage of mucosal polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly arachidonic and docosohexaenoic acids (p<0.01), without differences between groups with and without oesophagitis. Significant positive correlation was found between reflux index and docosahexaenoic acid (r=0.805; p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained show that the current methods are able to reveal changes between normal and pathological mucosa that could be relevant in the pathogenesis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
D'Eufemia
P
P
Department of Paedriatics, La Sapienza University, Viale Regina Elena, 324-00161 Rome, Italy. patdeufemia@inwind.it
Celli
M
M
Finocchiaro
R
R
Troiani
P
P
Tote
J
J
Giardini
O
O
Corrado
G
G
D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000378:metabolism; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid