Hypertriglyceridemia in extremely preterm infants on parenteral nutrition

In this study we collected and analysed data for extremely preterm infants receiving parental nutrition and found that hypertriglyceridemia is relatively common and occurs more often in those with lower gestational age, lower birth weight and chorioamnionitis. Elevated and recurrent high triglyceride levels are associated with higher mortality and increased risk of threshold retinopathy of prematurity requiring treatment. The study recommends close triglyceride monitoring and protocol-based lipid adjustment to optimise growth while reducing complications.

Dr Rohan Ravinder Verma Senior Clinical Fellow Neonatology St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London rohan.verma@stgeorges.nhs.uk

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Keywords

triglyceride; retinopathy of prematurity; extreme preterm infant; parenteral nutrition; hypertriglyceridemia; chorioamnionitis; steroids

Also published in Infant:

VOLUME 18 ISSUE 2/MARCH 2022

LCHAD deficiency and extreme prematurity: challenging aspects of nutritional management

In this article we present the case of an extremely preterm female infant who was born at 22⁺⁵ weeks’ gestation following an antepartum haemorrhage. A postnatal genetic diagnosis of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) deficiency was made. LCHAD deficiency is a complex metabolic condition, which can be even more challenging to treat when combined with extreme prematurity. Using specialised milk formulas in an extremely preterm infant was a difficult decision; this case report aims to highlight such nutritional and metabolic challenges.