Fatty Acid Composition in Serum Lipids and Adipose Tissue in Patients with Morbus Crohn after Heal Resection

Abstract

In 36 patients with Crohn’s disease who had been operated with ileal resection but were in a stable clinical condition, the fatty acid composition in the circulation and in adipose tissue was correlated to resection length. Fatty acid composition was also compared to data from a group of randomly selected healthy men and women of similar age. In plasma Crohn patients had reduced circulating levels of unsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand, increased proportions of these fatty acids were found in adipose tissue. It is unlikely that in this group of patients these data are unspecifíc reflections of disease activity. A more reasonable explanation seems to be an increased demand for precursors of local prostaglandin synthesis in the remainig bowel.