Essential fatty acids in cystic fibrosis

THE nature of the metabolic defect in cystic fibrosis (CF) has, to date, not been elucidated. Elliott 1 reported that intravenous administration of soybean oil and lecithin to children suffering from CF caused their sweat sodium concentration to decrease towards normal values. This prompted us to investigate the fatty acid spectra of the various serum lipid classes of children with CF. We have found that affected children are deficient in certain essential fatty acids.