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Antinociceptive fatty acid patterns differ in children with psychosomatic recurrent abdominal pain and healthy
Gösta Alfven1, Birgitta Strandvik2
1Clintec, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Children with psychosomatic recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) have an imbalance of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. This study found lower omega-3 levels and altered fatty acid ratios in children with RAP, suggesting a link to pain mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatrics
- Pain Management
Background:
- Psychosomatic recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is linked to stress, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
- Essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-3, play roles in pain modulation through lipid mediators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma phospholipid fatty acid patterns in children with psychosomatic RAP compared to healthy controls.
- To explore the potential role of fatty acid imbalance in the pathophysiology of RAP.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 22 children (aged 6-16) diagnosed with psychosomatic RAP.
- Analysis of plasma phospholipid fatty acids compared to 100 healthy controls from the same laboratory.
Main Results:
- Children with RAP exhibited higher saturated fatty acids (49.0% vs 47.4%) and lower polyunsaturated fatty acids (38.6% vs 39.9%) than controls.
- Lower omega-3 fatty acids were observed in RAP patients, leading to increased linoleic/alpha-linolenic acid and arachidonic/eicosapentaenoic acid ratios.
- A lower concentration of arachidonic acid was noted in children with RAP.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest an imbalance between pro-nociceptive omega-6 and anti-nociceptive omega-3 fatty acids in psychosomatic RAP.
- Further research into lipid mediators and oxidative products is needed to confirm this association.
Aim:
Stress is considered to trigger psychosomatic recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), but the mechanism behind the pain is unclear. Because the essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-3, are involved in pain, by regulating lipid mediators, we analysed the fatty acid patterns in children with RAP compared to healthy children.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study of plasma phospholipid fatty acids in 22 consecutively included children with RAP, aged six to 16 years, at an outpatient clinic specialising in RAP. The controls were 100 healthy children previously reported on and analysed in the same laboratory.
Results:
The children with psychosomatic RAP showed higher mean concentrations of saturated fatty acids than the controls (49.0 mol% versus 47.4 mol%) but lower mean levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (38.6 mol% versus 39.9 mol%). Omega-3 fatty acids were lower in children with psychosomatic RAP, resulting in higher ratios of linoleic to alpha-linolenic acids (p < 0.001) and arachidonic to eicosapentaenoic acids (p = 0.01), despite a lower concentration of arachidonic acid in children with RAP (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
The results suggested an imbalance between nociceptive omega-6 fatty acids and antinociceptive omega-3 fatty acids in psychosomatic RAP. Further studies, including lipid mediators and oxidative products, are necessary to confirm an association.
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