Prenatal Omega-3 And Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids And Childhood Atopic Dermatitis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nAtopic dermatitis is a common childhood disease, potentially influenced by prenatal nutritional exposures such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nIn a racially diverse cohort, we hypothesized that childhood atopic dermatitis would be associated with higher prenatal omega-6 (n-6) and lower omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs.\n\n\nMETHODS\nWe included mother-child dyads, births 2006-2011, enrolled in the UTHSC Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development in Early Childhood (CANDLE) cohort. Primary exposures included 2nd trimester plasma n-3 and n-6 PUFA status and the ratio of the two (n-6:n-3). We assessed child current atopic dermatitis symptoms in the previous 12 months at approximately age 4-6 years. We investigated the association between PUFA exposures and atopic dermatitis using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. We assessed for effect modification by maternal prenatal smoking, atopic disease history, and child sex.\n\n\nRESULTS\nAmong 1131 women, 67% were African-American and 42% had an atopic disease history; 17% of children had atopic dermatitis. Higher prenatal n-6 PUFAs were associated with increased relative odds of child atopic dermatitis (aOR: 1.25; CI: 1.01-1.54 per interquartile range difference) and interaction models demonstrated that this association was seen in dyads in which the women had a history of atopic disease. Neither prenatal n-3 PUFAs nor n-6:n-3 were associated with child atopic dermatitis.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nIn this racially diverse cohort, higher 2nd trimester n-6 PUFAs were associated with atopic dermatitis in children of women with atopy. PUFAs may represent a modifiable risk factor for atopic dermatitis, particularly in individuals with a familial predisposition.