Effect of fish oil supplementation on fatty acid status, coordination, and fine motor skills in children with phenylketonuria.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate effects of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) on motor skills in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU).


METHODS
Thirty-six patients with PKU (1-11 years of age, good metabolic control: plasma phenylalanine < or = 360 micromol/L for > or = 6 months). We determined plasma phospholipid fatty acids, and in patients > 4 years of age (N = 24) the motometric Rostock-Oseretzky Scale (ROS), before and after supplementation with fish oil for 3 months (15 mg docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]/kg body weight daily). ROS was also assessed in 22 age-matched controls.


RESULTS
Patients had low n-3 LC-PUFA in plasma phospholipids (DHA, 2.37 +/- 0.10%; eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], 0.4 +/- 0.03%) and poorer ROS performance than controls (motor development index [MQ] 107 +/- 3 vs 117 +/- 3, P = .010). Supplementation increased phospholipid n-3 LC-PUFA (DHA 7.05 +/- 0.24%; EPA 3.31 +/- 0.19%; P < .001), decreased n-6 LC-PUFA (arachidonic acid, 9.26 +/- 0.23% vs 6.76 +/- 0.16%; P < .001) and improved ROS (MQ 115 +/- 3.54, P = .011, paired t test). ROS was unchanged in 11 retested controls (MQ 115 +/- 5.16, P = NS, paired t test multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA] for time by group, P = .027). Patients tolerated fish oil well. Plasma phenylalanine remained unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with PKU, fish oil supplementation enhances n-3 LC-PUFA levels and improves motor skills.
Beblo
Skadi
S
Division of Metabolic Diseases and Nutrition, Dr. von Haunersches Kinderspital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Reinhardt
Hannes
H
Demmelmair
Hans
H
Muntau
Ania C
AC
Koletzko
Berthold
B
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D010661:Phenylketonurias / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils