Patients with cystic fibrosis have an innate imbalance of essential fatty acids, with increased arachidonic acid (AA) levels, decreased docosahexanoic acid (DHA) levels, and elevated AA/DHA ratio. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that this lipid imbalance is a primary effect in CF, playing a major role in the infection-inflammation vicious cycle that leads to respiratory failure. Fenretinide, a derivative of vitamin A, was shown to correct the AA/DHA imbalance in lungs and blood plasma in specific animal model of CF, resulting in reduced lung inflammation and decrease in the severity of pulmonary infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.