title: Fish-oil fat emulsion supplementation reduces the risk of retinopathy in very low birth weight infants: a prospective, randomized study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preliminary studies suggest that fish-oil lipid emulsion given parenterally to very preterm infants reduces the severity of retinopathy (ROP) and cholestasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infants weighing <1250 g at birth were randomly allocated to 2 groups: an experimental group of 60 infants that received an intravenous (IV) soybean, olive oil, and fish oil emulsion, and a control group of 70 infants that was given a parenteral soybean and olive oil emulsion. Plasma and erythrocyte concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine infants in the fish oil group required laser therapy for ROP compared with 22 infants in the standard intralipid group (risk ratio [RR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.96). Three infants in the fish oil group developed cholestasis compared with 20 infants in the standard intralipid group (RR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.055-0.56). The mean plasma DHA concentrations in treated infants were 2.9-fold higher in the fish oil group than in control infants on the 7th and 14th days of life. The mean DHA content in erythrocytes of treated infants was 4.5-fold and 2.7-fold higher compared with controls at 7 and 14 days of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Premature infants receiving an IV fat emulsion containing fish oil had less ROP requiring laser treatment and less cholestasis than those receiving a standard lipid emulsion. These infants also had higher plasma and erythrocyte DHA levels at 7 and 14 days, suggesting potential long-term neurodevelopmental benefits.
authors: Department of Neonatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Pawlik
authors: Department of Neonatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland ryszard@lauterbach.pl.
authors: Ryszard
authors: R
authors: Lauterbach
authors: Department of Pharmacokinetics and Physical Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Walczak
authors: Department of Neonatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Hurkała
authors: Division of Neonatology, Department of Child Health, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri.
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Sherman
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004655:Emulsions / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013024:Soybean Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D005217:Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; D005395:Fish Oils; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010743:Phospholipids; D010938:Plant Oils; C545823:soybean oil, phospholipid emulsion; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D013024:Soybean Oil
keywords: Cholestasis; docosahexaenoic acid; fish oil emulsion; parenteral nutrition; retinopathy of prematurity; very low birth weight infant