Table 3

Unadjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for associations between plasma fatty acids (per 1% increase) and asthma and/or atopy

Type of fatty acidCurrent asthma (n = 950)Asthma (n = 1009)Doctor diagnosed asthma (n = 1007)Atopy (n = 1009)
n-6 series polyunsaturated
    18:2 LA1.009 (0.95 to 1.07)0.96 (0.92 to 1.01)1.001 (0.95 to 1.05)1.0 (0.96 to 1.04)
    18:3 GLA2.14 (0.12 to 37.1)0.50 (0.05 to 5.51)1.45 (0.14 to 14.8) 17.8 (2.00 to 158)
    20:23.98 (0.50 to 31.9) 6.85 (1.21 to 38.9) 11.6 (2.14 to 63.3) 0.26 (0.06 to 1.26)
    20:3 DHGLA 1.44 (1.19 to 1.74) 1.38 (1.17 to 1.62) 1.26 (1.08 to 1.48) 1.06 (0.92 to 1.22)
    20:4 AA0.996 (0.91 to 1.09)1.07 (0.99 to 1.15)0.95 (0.89 to 1.03)1.00 (0.94 to 1.07)
    22:41.82 (0.50 to 6.64)2.09 (0.66 to 6.61)1.16 (0.36 to 3.68)1.21 (0.48 to 3.07)
    22:5 3.02 (1.02 to 8.96) 4.31 (1.71 to 10.9) 2.63 (1.05 to 6.58) 0.997 (0.41 to 2.42)
n-3 series polyunsaturated
    18:3 LNA1.004 (0.12 to 8.12)0.16 (0.03 to 1.01)1.24 (0.23 to 7.00)0.77 (0.17 to 3.54)
    20:5 EPA0.93 (0.66 to 1.30)0.96 (0.73 to 1.26)0.88 (0.67 to 1.15)1.001 (0.79 to 1.27)
    22:5 DPA1.26 (0.83 to 1.89) 1.48 (1.05 to 2.08) 0.90 (0.63 to 1.27)1.36 (0.99 to 1.88)
    22:6 DHA0.95 (0.86 to 1.06)1.04 (0.95 to 1.13)0.97 (0.89 to 1.06)0.94 (0.87 to 1.01)
Total
    n-61.07 (0.99 to 1.14)1.04 (0.98 to 1.10)1.10 (0.95 to 1.07)1.01 (0.96 to 1.05)
    n-30.97 (0.90 to 1.06)1.03 (0.96 to 1.10)0.97 (0.91 to 1.04)0.97 (0.92 to 1.03)
    n-6:n-31.07 (0.95 to 1.19)0.995 (0.90 to 1.09)1.07 (0.98 to 1.18)1.05 (0.97 to 1.15)
    Polyunsaturated1.002 (0.95 to 1.05)1.02 (0.98 to 1.07)0.98 (0.95 to 1.03)0.99 (0.95 to 1.03)
    Saturated0.96 (0.90 to 1.03) 0.92 (0.88 to 0.97) 0.98 (0.93 to 1.03)1.004 (0.96 to 1.06)
    Trans0.91 (0.42 to 1.95)0.81 (0.43 to 1.51)1.24 (0.68 to 2.27)1.23 (0.71 to 2.14)
    Monounsaturated1.02 (0.92 to 1.15) 1.10 (1.005 to 1.21) 1.10 (1.002 to 1.20) 1.04 (0.96 to 1.12)