Frecuencia de consumo de pescado de mar y síntomas de enfermedades alérgicas en adultos de Rosario

Abstract

Background

Sea fish (SF) is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA). Intake of O3FA reduces the production of arachidonic acid derivatives, which have antiinflammatory activity, and elevates levels of eicosapentaenoic acid derivatives, with lower activity. O3FA also inhibit T helper-2 lymphocytes, which mediate allergic inflammatory reactions. SF is a major food allergen and could also act as a histamine-releasing food. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between SF consumption and the presence of allergic symptoms.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 765 randomly selected students (83.4% women), aged 17–65 years old, attending the Universidad del Centro Educativo Latinoamericano. The students completed validated questionnaires on allergic diseases and the frequency of SF intake.

Results

The prevalence of asthma symptoms in the previous 12 months was 8.0% among participants reporting SF consumption daily, weekly or once a month or more (46.7%) and was 12.9% in those reporting SF consumption less than once a month or never (p<0.05). Similar results were obtained when we evaluated exercise-induced asthma (7.9% vs 12.2%; p<0.05), nocturnal dry cough not associated with infections (13.3% vs 19.6%; p<0.05), allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in the last year (20.8% vs 27.5%; p<0.05) and symptoms of both allergic respiratory diseases (4.2% vs 8.7%; p<0.005). Statistical significance was maintained when stratification by sex, age, obesity, reflux and smoking habits was performed. In contrast, a higher frequency of urticaria symptoms was found in participants who reported SF consumption more than twice a week (29.5% vs 12.5%; p<0.05).

Conclusions

These data suggest that SF consumption at least once a month could protect against diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, due to the O3FA content of SF. However, high SF intake could increase the prevalence of urticaria, probably because of allergic or pseudoallergic phenomena.