Effect of two doses of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the diet of preterm infants on infant fatty acid status: results from the DINO trial (original) (raw)

Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids

Formula supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) improves retinal function of preterm infants but the optimal dose is unknown. In a randomized controlled trial we examined the effect of increasing the DHA concentration of human milk and formula on circulating fatty acids of preterm infants. Infants born <33 weeks gestation were fed high-DHA milk (1% total fat as DHA) or standard-DHA milk (0.2-0.3% DHA) until reaching their estimated due date (EDD). Milk arachidonic acid (AA) concentration was approximately 0.5% for both groups. At EDD, erythrocyte membrane phospholipid DHA was elevated in the high-DHA group compared with standard-DHA (mean+/-SD, high-DHA 6.8+/-1.2, standard-DHA 5.2+/-0.7, p<0.0005) but AA was lower (high-DHA 14.9+/-1.3, standard-DHA 16.0+/-1.2, p<0.0005). Feeding preterm infants human milk and formula with 1% DHA raises but does not saturate erythrocyte phospholipids with DHA. Milk exceeding 1% DHA may be required to increase DHA status to levels seen i...