306 ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS 



this reflects a need for certain fatty acids. Luzzatti and Hansen,*^ in study- 

 ing the serum lipids of patients suffering from the cehac syndrome, found 

 the iodine number of the serum fatty acids to be abnormally low. This 

 finding is in keeping with a relatively low intake of unsaturated fatty acids. 

 In addition, in reviewing the literature Luzzatti and Hansen found that a 

 number of authors^^"^* reported a high incidence of abnormalities of the 

 skin in patients with poor fat absorption. This type of disorder is almost 

 always associated with malnutrition and recurrent respiratory infections, 

 two symptoms which were consistently observed in fat-deficient dogs.^" 

 To accentuate the situation, patients with inability to absorb fat adequately 

 usually are placed on a low fat diet, by their own choice or upon the recom- 

 mendation of the physician. If there is a need for specific unsaturated fatty 

 acids one might expect latent abnormalities to become manifest. 



c. Summary 



Study of the serum lipids in patients with eczema suggest that abnormally 

 low iodine values are common. The feeding of dietary fats rich in the un- 

 saturated fatty acids to patients suffering from eczema frequently appears 

 to improve the condition of the skin. Prolonged maintenance on a diet low 

 in fat because of faulty absorption regularly results in a low iodine value 

 of the serum fatty acids. Children suffering from faulty fat absorption quite 

 commonly develop chronic dermatitis, frequently suffer from respiratory 

 tract infections, and of ten become severely malnourished. The role of specific 

 fats in producing such conditions has not been ascertained. 



3. Data from Animal Studies with Possible Applications 



The work of Burr and Burr^^ - ^" regarding the essential nature of linoleic 

 and arachidonic acid for the rat is the basis of nutritional interest in these 

 fatty acids. Observations from studies with the rat as the experimental 

 animal which possibly may be applicable to the human subject are the 

 effect of fat deficiency on the condition of the skin and the loss in weight 

 of the animals. In an attempt to establish a means for ascertaining the 

 human need for special fatty acids, Hansen and Wiese®^ undertook detailed 

 studies with the dog in regard to the interrelationships of dietary fat, com- 

 position of serum, and tissue lipids, and the gross and microscopic altera- 

 tions of the tissues. Reference to some of their findings are presented. 



85 L. Luzzatti and A. E. Hansen, J. Pediat. 24, 417 (1944). 



56 T. I. Bennett, D. Hunter, and J. M. Vaughan, Quart. J. Med. [N.S.] 1, 603 (1932). 



" C. Konstam and H. Gordon, Proc. Roy. Soc. Med. 29, 629 (1936). 



68 1. D. Riley and M. B. Leeds, Lancet I, 262 (1939). 



69 G. O. Burr and M. M. Burr, /. Biol. Chem. 82, 345 (1929); 86, 587 (1930). 



60 G. O. Burr, M. M. Burr, and E. S. Miller, J. Biol. Chem. 97, 1 (1932). 



61 A. E. Hansen and H. F. Wiese, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 52, 205 (1943). 



