Effect of enteral feeding on lipid subfractions in children with chronic renal failure

The anorexia of chronic renal failure (CRF) is frequently managed with enteral feeds using combinations of commercial preparations, glucose polymers and fat emulsions. Such feeds might predispose to atherogenic blood lipid profiles. Our aim, therefore, was to compare the blood lipid profiles of enterally fed and non-enterally fed children. Plasma lipid subfractions were measured in 37 children with CRF managed conservatively and 10 managed with peritoneal dialysis (PD); 10 of the children were tube fed, 5 of whom were on PD. Results were compared between these groups. Overall, triglycerides (TGs, mean +/- SD) were high (2.3 +/- 1.4 mmol/l) and total cholesterol (TC) was at the upper limit of normal (5.2 +/- 1.5 mmol/l). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), apoprotein A1 (apo A1), A2 (apo A2) and B (apo B), and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] were within the normal range. There was an inverse correlation between TGs and glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.0001). There were no differences in the levels of TC, TG, LDL, HDL, apo A1, apo A2 or Lp(a) between tube-fed and non-tube-fed children. We conclude that enteral feeding does not enhance hyperlipidaemia.