Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), especially arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are important components in phospholipids of central nervous system. This fatty acids (FA) in postnatal life are given to the newborn by breast milk. Most of the formulas in used in Chile do not contain LCPUFA. The preterm infants are particularly vulnerable to this deficiency given the insufficient intrauterine accretion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutrition in the PUFA in plasma and blood red cells (BRC) in preterm and term infants. Two groups of newborns are analyzed according to their gestational age (GA) : Term infants (37 to 40 wks)(n=15) and preterm infants (31 to 34 wks) (n=18) ; each group was divided into human milk (HM) or formula (F). The formulas used were : Purita milk in term infants and NAN y Ebfalac in preterm infants. Biochemical analyses : two samples of venous blood were taken in the first day and 15 days later. Lipids were extracted by Bligh & Dyer. FA methylated and analysed by capillary GC. FA composition of total plasma and RBC were analysed. Data is presented as % total FA (Plasma results). Table

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Term infants : HM vs F. A significant increase was shown in the 18 :2n-6 in the group with human milk (p<0.01), which is explained by the differences in the linoleic acid (LA) levels in HM and F. Preterm infants : HM vs F. Both groups showed increase in the LA, but without differences (HM and F have the similar composition of LA). A remarkable decrease in AA and DHA in the formula group contrasted with the HM group (p<0.01). The preterm infants group fed with HM presents a better situation in LCPUFA since early stages.