Essential fatty acid status in premature newborns fed by nasoduodenal technique

The fatty acid composition of plasma phospholipids and the triene (20:3, n=9) to tetraene (20:4, n=6) ratio in the same lipid fraction have been determined, as indices of the essential fatty acid status, in a group of 22 healthy premature newborns fed by the nasoduodenal technique. Determinations have been carried out on the first and fifth day of life for all 22 newborns, and also on the tenth and 30th day of life for 12 of them. The normal plasma levels of essential fatty acids obtained indicate a satisfactory utilization of dietary essential fatty acids under these unusual nutritional conditions.