FATTY-ACID STATUS IN ENTERAL AND PARENTER AL-NUTRITION

The fatty acid (FA) status has been increasingly investigated by nutri tionists in clinical studies during the last years. The evaluation of the FA status of premature babies helped in defining 1) the doses of l ipid emulsions to prevent the clinical symptoms and the biochemical si gns of essential FA deficiency in the parenterally-fed subjects and 2) the dietary needs of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated FA, recently added t o formulas for the enterally-fed ones. The FA status of patients affec ted by other disorders (cystic fibrosis, glycogenosis) led to further dietary manipulations of their theraputic schedules in order to improv e not only the caloric and macronutrient balance, but also the clinica l course of the disease by mean of the ''functional'' properties of so me FA families. These observations should be aimed to develop new lipi d emulsions and formulations for the specific needs of patients underg oing parenteral and enternal nutrition.