FREE FATTY ACID METABOLISM DURING INTRALIPID INFUSION

Abstract

Fatty acid composition of intralipid (IL) differs from that of milk in that iL consists of 50% linoleic acid (L) and 10% palmitic acid (P) as compared with 8% (L) and 42% (P) in milk. To determine the effects of IL infusion on plasma free fatty acid (FFA) patterns, 6 neonates received 1 gin/kg of IL over 4 hours. The infants ranged from 32 - 38 weeks gestation and were of appropriate birth weight. Samples were obtained during infusion and at 2 hours post infusion for FFA pattern analysis by gas liquid chromatography. Results: During infusion, the change in FFA concentration was significant (p<0.02). There was a significant decrease in P/FFA ratio (p<0.01) and increase in L/FFA ratio (p<0.001) and reversal of P/L ratio (p<0.001). In the post infusion period from 4 to 6 hours, there was a reversal of these altered ratios towards baseline values, but this change was not statistically significant. There are both quantitative and qualitative changes in plasma FFA during intralipid infusion. These alterations reflect the fatty acid composition of intralipid. Slow return of FFA to the normal pattern, after stopping intralipid infusion, depends on the rate of ceftilar uptake or metabolism of the FFA.