title: Essential fatty acid deficiency associated with total parenteral nutrition.
abstract: Essential fatty acid deficiency is a clinical and biochemical entity encountered in both adults and children. Especially at risk are those patients maintained by fat-free total parenteral nutrition. Linoleic acid is the substance most responsible for the deficien state and essential to its correction. A ratio of trienoic-tetraenoic fatty acids of 0.4 or greater is diagnositc of a chemical deficiency. A severe deficiency affects polyunsatured fatty acids, in both plasma and tissues and, thus, many systems of the body. Mulitple blood transfusions have not proved sufficient to correct chemical deficiency. A recently marketed, commercially available fat supplement, however, may be useful in preventing the problem.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000172:deficiency; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D008041:Linoleic Acids