title: Measurement of fatty acid oxidation in premature newborn infants with the 13C-triolein breath test.
abstract: The 13C-triolein breath test is a method giving evidence of extent and rate of fatty acid oxidation in newborn infants on parenteral nutrition. The test has the special advantage of being non-invasive. Triolein labeled with the stable carbon isotope 13C and emulsified in soybean-oil is used as a tracer. 10 mg of 13C triolein per kg body weight are administered intravenously. The 13CO2 resulting from the fatty acid oxidation is analysed in expired breath by ratio-mass-spectrometry. The calculated 13C elimination is representative of the rate of fatty acid oxidation during the examination period. First studies on 15 premature infants have shown that an average of 27.0 +/- 1.8% of the dose administered is oxidized within 4 h. The present results suggest that the oxidation rate may be related to the maturity of the prematurely born infants.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, Freie Universität Berlin, Heubnerweg 6, D-1000 Berlin 19 Belgium.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paust
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rating
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Helge