Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid enhance growth with no adverse effects in preterm infants fed formula.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) supplementation influences growth or visual acuity of formula-fed premature infants.


METHODS
Double-blind, multi-center study of 194 premature infants given preterm formula with no DHA or ARA (control), 0.15% energy DHA, or 0.14% DHA + 0.27% ARA from single-cell triglycerides for at least 28 days and then fed term formula (no DHA or ARA) to 57 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA), with 90 breast-fed term infants as reference.


RESULTS
Infants fed DHA+ARA formula gained weight significantly faster (post-hoc analysis) during preterm formula feeding than control infants (34.7 vs. 30.7 g/d) and had weights and weight:length ratios not different from term breast-fed infants at 48 and 57 weeks PMA. Infants fed control or DHA formula had lower body weights than term infants. Red blood cell phosphatidylethanolamine ARA was significantly correlated to weight gain during preterm formula feeding and to weight and length at 40, 48, and 57 weeks PMA (r = 0.19 to 0.24, P =.004-.02). Providing DHA or DHA+ARA during the preterm period had no effect on subsequent visual acuity or incidence of adverse events.


CONCLUSIONS
Feeding DHA+ARA from single-cell triglycerides enhances weight gain in formula-fed premature infants with no evidence of adverse effects.
Innis
Sheila M
SM
Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Adamkin
David H
DH
Hall
Robert T
RT
Kalhan
Satish C
SC
Lair
Cheryl
C
Lim
Mary
M
Stevens
Dennis C
DC
Twist
Paul F
PF
Diersen-Schade
Deborah A
DA
Harris
Cheryl L
CL
Merkel
Kimberly L
KL
Hansen
James W
JW
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007225:Infant Food; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects*
D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid