Abstract 148
Aims: In neonates, especially in preterms, the absorption of dietary fat is impaired until the postnatal age of 6 months. We aimed to determine in humans in vivo the role of lipolysis and of uptake of long chain fatty acids (LFA) in neonatal fat absorption in a longitudinal fashion.
Subjects: In 16 preterm and in 8 term neonates, lipolysis and uptake of LFA were determined at 4 (preterms) or 3 consecutive timepoints between birth and 6 months after the term age.
Measurements: Lipolysis was determined by measuring serum concentrations of 1-13C-palmitic acid (PA) after the administration of tri-1-13C palmitoyl-glycerol. Uptake of LFA per se (i.e. independent from lipolysis) was determined by measuring serum concentration of 1-13C-stearic acid (SA) after administration of SA.
Results: The efficacy of fat absorption (%FA) increased linearly in preterm infants from 88.7 ± 5.3% at 32.6 wk postconceptional age (PCA) to 97.3 ± 2.3% at 53.6 wk PCA, and in term infants from 91.7 ± 2.3% (40.4 wk PCA) to 96.5 ± 3.0% (59.4 PCA). The 4h-serum concentration of SA, as well as that of PA, appeared highly correlated with the %FA (R = 0.90, P= 0.006, and R = 0.83, P = 0.02; resp.), indicating impaired uptake of LFA per se.
Conclusion: Neonatal fat malabsorption, both in preterm and in term infants, is mainly due to impaired uptake of LFA. Study was supported by a grant from Numico, The Netherlands.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rings, E., Minich, D., Fetter, W. et al. Fat malabsorption in preterm and term neonates is due to impaired uptake of long chain fatty acids. Pediatr Res 45, 911 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199906000-00166
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199906000-00166
This article is cited by
-
Pathofysiologie en diagnostiek van vetmalabsorptie: nieuwe inzichten
Tijdschrift voor kindergeneeskunde (2000)