Supplementary treatment of atopic dermatitis patients by choosing foods to lower the N - 6/N - 3 ratio of fatty acids

Abstract

In- and outpatients with atopic dermatitis and their families were advised to lower the n - 6/n - 3 ratio of fatty acids of patients' foods throughout one year. Basic nutritional recommendations were to eat traditional Japanese foods, that is, more seafood than meat, and to omit all kinds of high-linoleic acid (n - 6) vegetable oils and their products (including fried cookies); use of perilla oil as a cooking oil with a very low n - 6/n - 3 ratio was advised. Topical steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used at the same time but were decreased toward the 3rd month of treatment. The n - 6/n - 3 ratio of serum lipids decreased significantly, atopic dermatitis area and severity index (ADASI) decreased dramatically and blood eosinophil counts decreased significantly, but the levels of serum IgE, total protein, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, calcium and iron were relatively unchanged. Kampo medicines were also used for some patients with weak constitution, but beneficial effects have been neither proved nor disproved during the year of treatment. Infants were more susceptible to this treatment than adults. Although a longer-term follow-up is necessary, the method was found to be promising and safe for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.