double-blind, randomized clinical trial of the effect of ω-3 fatty acids on the oxidative stress of preterm neonates fed through parenteral nutrition

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition 2010-09, Vol.64 (9), p.940-947
• Main Authors: Skouroliakou, M, Konstantinou, D, Koutri, K, Kakavelaki, C, Stathopoulou, M, Antoniadi, M, Xemelidis, N, Kona, V, Markantonis, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/443/319; 692/700/1720; 692/700/565/2072; Anemia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; antioxidant markers; Antioxidants; Biological and medical sciences; Causes of; Clinical Nutrition; Clinical trials; Control; Double-Blind Method; Double-blind studies; Emergency and intensive care: metabolism and nutrition disorders. Enteral and parenteral nutrition; Emulsions; Epidemiology; Fat Emulsions, Intravenous - chemistry; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - metabolism; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food and nutrition; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Greece; Health aspects; Humans; Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature - blood; Infant, Premature - growth & development; Infants; Infants (Premature); Intensive care medicine; Internal Medicine; Length of Stay; Lipids; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Neonates; Newborn babies; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Omega-3 fatty acids; original-article; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; parenteral feeding; Parenteral Nutrition; Phototherapy; premature birth; Public Health; Randomization; randomized clinical trials; Retinene; Serum levels; Tocopherol; Treatment Outcome; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - blood; Vitamin E; Vitamin E - blood
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.98

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to research and draw conclusions about the effect of a parenteral nutrition (PN) fat emulsion, rich in ω-3 fatty acids, on the antioxidant markers of preterm infants, when compared with a standard fat emulsion. This was a double-blind, parallel-group study conducted in Athens, Greece, using an equal randomization method. Subjects/Methods: Thirty-eight infants were selected using a double-blind method and a computer-generated randomization list. Both groups received PN, based on the same protocols. Group A received SMOFlipid fat emulsion, while group B received the standard fat emulsion (Intralipid). Serum levels of vitamin A, E and total antioxidant potential (TAP) were measured on days 0, 7 and 14 of PN support. Clinical and biochemical data were collected on days 0, 14 and on the day of discharge. Results: Serum levels of vitamin E and A were significantly increased in group A, while only vitamin A serum level was increased in group B on the fourteenth day (group A: vitamin E: P-value=0.002, vitamin A: P-value=0.000, group B: vitamin E: P-value=0.065, vitamin A: P-value=0.000). TAP was increased only in the intervention group (group A: P-value=0.000, group B: P-value=0.287). Mild anemia was developed in both groups, while no differences were detected in the infection rate, days of hospitalization, days of ventilator support and days of phototherapy. Conclusions: Oxidative stress was significantly reduced in those neonates fed with ω-3 fatty acids, whereas no effect was observed in the neonates fed with standard lipids. Intervention had no effect on infants’ growth and clinical outcome.