Table 2 Prevalence and concentration of fecal SCFAs in farm and control children.

From: Fecal short chain fatty acids in children living on farms and a link between valeric acid and protection from eczema

 

Prevalence

n (%)

Concentration, μmol/g

Median (range)

Farm

Control

Farm

Control

4 weeksa

Total SCFAs

109 (42–220)

103 (29–269)

Acetic

24 (100)

23 (100)

90 (34–177)

81 (20–259)

Propionic

17 (71)

18 (78)

5.0 (ND–63)

6.3 (ND–53)

Butyric

18 (75)

15 (65)

2.9 (ND–37)

1.1 (ND–30)

Iso-butyric

3 (13)

7 (30)

ND (ND–4.1)

ND (ND–4.0)

Iso-valeric

6 (25)

7 (30)

ND (ND–3.8)

ND (ND–4.4)

Valeric

4 (17)

1 (4)

ND (ND–9.8)

ND (ND–0.4)

Iso-caproic

3 (13)

1 (4)

ND (ND–1.7)

ND (ND–0.3)

Caproic

4 (17)

1 (4)

ND (ND–1.8)

ND (ND)

1 yearb

Total SCFAs

141 (57–359)

142 (82–253)

Acetic

28 (100)

36 (100)

87 (44–221)

92 (45–154)

Propionic

28 (100)

36 (100)

28 (3–48)

31 (8–87)

Butyric

28 (100)

36 (100)

25 (8–81)

20 (4–59)

Iso-butyric

22 (79)

29 (81)

1.5 (ND–4.8)

1.4 (ND–5.2)

Iso-valeric

27 (96)

35 (97)

2.2 (ND–7.6)

2.0 (0.2–6.9)

Valeric

24 (86)

27 (75)

0.3 (ND–4.8)

0.3 (ND–3.8)

Iso-caproic

5 (18)

7 (19)

ND (ND–1.2)

ND (ND–0.9)

Caproic

5 (18)

7 (19)

ND (ND–0–3)

ND (ND–0–3)

3 yearsc

Total SCFAs

157 (71–287)

152 (62–283)

Acetic

19 (100)

32 (100)

83 (46–163)

86 (32–133)

Propionic

19 (100)

32 (100)

33 (14–49)

30 (8–66)

Butyric

19 (100)

32 (100)

26 (6–94)

28 (7–70)

Iso-butyric

19 (100)

29 (91)

2.8* (ND–5.0)

1.6* (ND–5.3)

Iso-valeric

19 (100)

30 (94)

3.7* (1.3–7.6)

2.4* (ND–8.8)

Valeric

19 (100)

31 (97)

2.7* (0.4–6.2)

1.7* (ND–4.4)

Iso-caproic

0 (0)

3 (10)

ND (ND)

ND (ND–0.3)

Caproic

6 (32)

11 (34)

ND (ND–1.9)

ND (ND–1.3)

  1. *P < 0.05, Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact test for counts, Mann–Whitney U-test for continuous variables.
  2. ND, not detected. Feces analyzed from: a24 (86%) farm and 23 (62%) control children.
  3. b28 (100%) farm and 36 (97%) control children.
  4. c19 (68%) farm and 32 (87%) control children.