Docosahexaenoic Acid and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants

Study answer

What this study found

DHA supplementation did not reduce bronchopulmonary dysplasia and was associated with a higher risk of the primary outcome. Physiological BPD occurred in 291/592 (49.1%) in the DHA group versus 269/613 (43.9%) in control, with an adjusted RR of 1.13 (1.02-1.25; P=0.02). The composite of physiological BPD or death before 36 weeks postmenstrual age was also higher with DHA: 330/631 (52.3%) versus 298/642 (46.4%), adjusted RR 1.11 (1.00-1.23; P=0.045). Clinical BPD was numerically higher as well, 315/592 (53.2%) versus 304/612 (49.7%), adjusted RR 1.09 (1.00-1.18; P=0.06). Overall, the findings…

Study & population

This was a multicenter randomized trial conducted at 13 centers in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Intervention

Very preterm infants received enteral docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a microencapsulated aqueous emulsion of fractionated tuna oil at 60 mg/kg/day, given as 0.17 ml/kg three times daily by nasogastric or orogastric tube.

Key limitation

The trial tested a single DHA dose and formulation in a specific very preterm population, which limits generalizability to other doses, formulations, or gestational ages.

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Original abstract