Choline, DHA, and diarrheal disease associated with growth faltering in a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Children with recurrent infectious diarrhea are susceptible to growth faltering. DHA and choline may play a role in this relationship due to their involvement in lipid metabolism, gut immunity, and inflammatory pathways. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize the contributions made by DHA and choline status and enteric damage in young children in the association between diarrheal illness and child growth. METHODS: A longitudinal case-control study was conducted among children aged 6-36 mo ( RESULTS: At baseline, mean plasma DHA concentrations (1.03 µg/mL; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.15) were not significantly different between cases and controls, nor was there a difference in mean plasma choline concentrations (4.5 µg/mL; 95% CI: 3.8, 5.1). Mean plasma I-FABP concentrations were significantly higher at follow-up in cases (3.34; 95% CI: 3.28, 3.40) than controls (3.20; 95% CI: 3.13, 3.27; CONCLUSIONS: I-FABP concentrations were significantly higher in cases as compared with controls at follow-up, suggesting ongoing enteric damage and increased risk for malnutrition. Plasma DHA and I-FABP may have a role in childhood growth outcomes