No abstract

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 o-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 ¼ 0.002, vitamin A: P-value ¼ 0.000, group B: vitamin E: P-value ¼ 0.065, vitamin A: P-value ¼ 0.000). TAP was increased only in the intervention group (group A: P-value ¼ 0.000, group B: P-value ¼ 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 o-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.

Feeding predominantly with mother's raw milk seems to result in optimal neonatal outcomes.

Prematurity, maternal age, diet-controlled GD and high post-pregnancy BMI levels were found to impose statistical significant effect on milk's macronutrients and energy.

Compared with the soybean oil-based IVFE, the MCT/ω-3 PUFA-enriched IVFE is associated with a more favorable cytokine and FA profile consistent with attenuated inflammatory response in preterm neonates.