Omega-3 Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (LCPUFA) Supplementation in Very Low Birth Weight Infants for The Prevention Retinopathy of Prematurity

Summary

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a blinding disease affecting infants born prematurely. These infants do not have enough essential fatty acids to structurally support the retina, the nerve tissue in the eye which allows us to see. A recent study showed that giving omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids to these infants soon after birth made them less likely to need invasive treatments for eye disease. This research trial will give young infants born prematurely n-3 fish oil treatment and look at how this changes factors in the blood that promote disease. Detailed blood studies comparing infants with and without ROP will be performed and the infants will be followed over time to assess their eye development.

Timeline

Start

2014-03

Primary completion

2019-12

Completion

2019-12

Publications

• Background Gould JF, Smithers LG, Makrides M. The effect of maternal omega-3 (n-3) LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy on early childhood cognitive and visual development: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Mar;97(3):531-44. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.045781. Epub 2013 Jan 30.
• Background Clandinin MT, Chappell JE, Heim T, Swyer PR, Chance GW. Fatty acid utilization in perinatal de novo synthesis of tissues. Early Hum Dev. 1981 Sep;5(4):355-66. doi: 10.1016/0378-3782(81)90016-5.
• Background Arsic A, Vucic V, Prekajski N, Tepsic J, Ristic-Medic D, Velickovic V, Glibetic M. Different fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids of small and appropriate for gestational age preterm infants and of milk from their mothers. Hippokratia. 2012 Jul;16(3):230-5.
• Background Pawlik D, Lauterbach R, Walczak M, Hurkala J, Sherman MP. Fish-oil fat emulsion supplementation reduces the risk of retinopathy in very low birth weight infants: a prospective, randomized study. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2014 Aug;38(6):711-6. doi: 10.1177/0148607113499373. Epub 2013 Aug 20.
• Background Connor KM, SanGiovanni JP, Lofqvist C, Aderman CM, Chen J, Higuchi A, Hong S, Pravda EA, Majchrzak S, Carper D, Hellstrom A, Kang JX, Chew EY, Salem N Jr, Serhan CN, Smith LEH. Increased dietary intake of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces pathological retinal angiogenesis. Nat Med. 2007 Jul;13(7):868-873. doi: 10.1038/nm1591. Epub 2007 Jun 24.
• Background Stahl A, Sapieha P, Connor KM, Sangiovanni JP, Chen J, Aderman CM, Willett KL, Krah NM, Dennison RJ, Seaward MR, Guerin KI, Hua J, Smith LE. Short communication: PPAR gamma mediates a direct antiangiogenic effect of omega 3-PUFAs in proliferative retinopathy. Circ Res. 2010 Aug 20;107(4):495-500. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.110.221317. Epub 2010 Jul 15.
• Background Smith LE. Through the eyes of a child: understanding retinopathy through ROP the Friedenwald lecture. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008 Dec;49(12):5177-82. doi: 10.1167/iovs.08-2584. Epub 2008 Aug 15. No abstract available.
• Background SanGiovanni JP, Chew EY. The role of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease of the retina. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2005 Jan;24(1):87-138. doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2004.06.002.
• Background Pawlik D, Lauterbach R, Turyk E. Fish-oil fat emulsion supplementation may reduce the risk of severe retinopathy in VLBW infants. Pediatrics. 2011 Feb;127(2):223-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2010-2427. Epub 2011 Jan 3.
• Background Klein CJ, Havranek TG, Revenis ME, Hassanali Z, Scavo LM. Plasma fatty acids in premature infants with hyperbilirubinemia: before-and-after nutrition support with fish oil emulsion. Nutr Clin Pract. 2013 Feb;28(1):87-94. doi: 10.1177/0884533612469989.
• Background Heird WC. The role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in term and preterm infants and breastfeeding mothers. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2001 Feb;48(1):173-88. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(05)70292-3.
• Background O'Connor DL, Hall R, Adamkin D, Auestad N, Castillo M, Connor WE, Connor SL, Fitzgerald K, Groh-Wargo S, Hartmann EE, Jacobs J, Janowsky J, Lucas A, Margeson D, Mena P, Neuringer M, Nesin M, Singer L, Stephenson T, Szabo J, Zemon V; Ross Preterm Lipid Study. Growth and development in preterm infants fed long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Pediatrics. 2001 Aug;108(2):359-71. doi: 10.1542/peds.108.2.359.
• Background Fleith M, Clandinin MT. Dietary PUFA for preterm and term infants: review of clinical studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2005;45(3):205-29. doi: 10.1080/10408690590956378.
• Background Smithers LG, Gibson RA, McPhee A, Makrides M. Effect of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation of preterm infants on disease risk and neurodevelopment: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4):912-20. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/87.4.912.
• Background Fewtrell MS, Morley R, Abbott RA, Singhal A, Isaacs EB, Stephenson T, MacFadyen U, Lucas A. Double-blind, randomized trial of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in formula fed to preterm infants. Pediatrics. 2002 Jul;110(1 Pt 1):73-82. doi: 10.1542/peds.110.1.73.
• Background Clandinin MT, Van Aerde JE, Merkel KL, Harris CL, Springer MA, Hansen JW, Diersen-Schade DA. Growth and development of preterm infants fed infant formulas containing docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid. J Pediatr. 2005 Apr;146(4):461-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2004.11.030.
• Background Schulzke SM, Patole SK, Simmer K. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in preterm infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Feb 16;(2):CD000375. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD000375.pub4.
• Background Born Too Soon | March of Dimes. March Dimes Found. Partnersh. Matern. Newborn Child Heal. Save Child. World Heal. Organ. 2012. Available at: http://www.marchofdimes.com/mission/global-preterm.aspx.

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