Lipid infusion in premature infants suffering from sepsis

In as much as possible side effects attributing to insufficient fat clearance with hyperlipemia, parenteral lipid administration to septic premature infants is controversial. In this study serum triglyceride and free fatty acid concentrations of nine low birth weight infants with septicemia and 21 low birth weight infants without septicemia were measured. Acidosis, hypoxia, hyperglycemia, and cardiovascular insufficiency were treated before parenteral lipid infusion was started. There was no occurrence of septic shock. In the course of fat infusion with 3 g/kg body weight per day in low birth weight infants without systemic infection we only found triglyceride concentrations of 1.15 mmol/liter and free fatty acid levels of 1.05 mmol/liter. Premature infants with septicemia showed, under fat application of 2 g/kg body weight per day, mean triglyceride levels of 1.67 mmol/liter and free fatty acid values of 1.94 mmol/liter. The highest concentrations occurred at 3 g fat/kg body weight per day with triglycerides of 2.02 mmol/liter and free fatty acids of 2.06 mmol/liter. They indicate a reduced clearance and support earlier findings of reduced utilization of infused fat in premature infants with septicemia. Triglyceride concentrations more than 1.7 mmol/liter probably induce an increase of phagocytosis of the fat particles with the effect of a partial block of the reticuloendothelial system and an impairment of pulmonary diffusion capacity. Therefore, we suggest dosages no higher than 2 g fat/kg body weight per day to low birth weight infants and we advise to check the triglycerides daily. Hypertriglyceridemia implicates an immediate reduction or total interruption of the lipid infusion until normal triglyceride values are regained.