SERUM LEVELS OF UNBOUND FREE FATTY-ACIDS .2. THE EFFECT OF INTRALIPIDADMINISTRATION IN PREMATURE-INFANTS

Background: Fatty acids (FFA) are key nutrients in maintaining physiol ogic homeostasis and in the form of Intralipid administration, they ar e important sources of nutrition in the premature newborn infant. Comp lexed with albumin, fatty acids have a small but important fraction th at remains unbound in the aqueous phase. Objective: The goal of this s tudy was to examine the levels of serum levels of unbound free fatty a cids (FFA,) in premature newborns following Intralipid administration. Method: A fluorescent probe acrylodated intestinal fatty acid binding protein (ADIFAB) was used to measure (FFA(u)) before Intralipid and d uring increasing rates of infusion. Results: There were significant di fferences between (FFA(u)) values obtained before Intralipid and level s after the infusion of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 g/kg/day (p < 0.05). Regress ion analysis of Intralipid dose and FFA, yielded an r = 0.438 and the following relationship: [FFA(u)] = 26.39 + 3.60 IL (g/kg/day). Concl usions: Intralipid administration results in significant elevation of FFA, in the very low birth weight infant.