ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants

Robert A. Gibson; Jana M. Bednarz; Thomas R. Sullivan; Maria Makrides; Andrew J. McPhee; Peter G. Davis; Lex W. Doyle; Jeanie LY Cheong; Javeed Travadi; Kenneth Tan; Scott Morris; Kei Lui; Srinivas Bolisetty; Michael John Stark; Marta Thio; Deborah L. Harris; Jacqueline Stack; Max Berry; Victor Rajadurai; Mei Chien Chua; Pooja A. Jayagobi; Mary Sharp; Gillian Opie; Helen Liley; Jacqueline F. Gould

doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014

ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants

Robert A. Gibson, Jana M. Bednarz, Thomas R. Sullivan, Maria Makrides, Andrew J. McPhee, Peter G. Davis, Lex W. Doyle, Jeanie LY Cheong, Javeed Travadi, Kenneth Tan, Scott Morris, Kei Lui, Srinivas Bolisetty, Michael John Stark, Marta Thio, Deborah L. Harris, Jacqueline Stack, Max Berry, Victor Rajadurai, Mei Chien ChuaPooja A. Jayagobi, Mary Sharp, Gillian Opie, Helen Liley, Jacqueline F. Gould

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular, the ω-3 (n–3) fatty acid DHA and the ω-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA), decrease in infant blood during the first days after very preterm birth.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore factors associated with blood DHA and AA concentrations of very preterm infants receiving standard care, in the days following birth.

Methods: We examined the fatty acid composition of whole blood samples collected on cards at 0–6 d after birth, from a cross-sectional study of 1174 infants born <29 weeks of gestation in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Results: Considerable variation was observed in the proportions of blood AA (1.4%–18.0%) and DHA (0.4%–5.7%) concentrations. Infant blood DHA status was not associated with gestational age at birth, but AA was lower by 0.11% for each week of gestation (95% CI: −0.07%, 0.15%). There was an inverse relationship between age of sampling after birth and DHA (0.07% lower per day; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.09%) and AA (0.09% lower; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.14%). A concomitant positive relationship was observed between days after birth and the fatty acids present in the intravenous lipid emulsion administered: ω-6 linoleic acid (range: 2.1%–35.1%) and ω-9 oleic acid (range: 12.2%–52.9%).

Conclusions: Preterm infants whose blood was sampled later after birth have lower DHA and AA status relative to those sampled earlier after birth; samples taken at later timepoints are concurrently higher in the fatty acids of linoleic acid and oleic acid, which are the major compositional components of intravenous lipid emulsions routinely administered to preterm infants. The results support calls to develop intravenous feeds closely matching the fatty acid composition of infant blood at birth.

The N3RO Trial is registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry as ACTRN12612000503820 (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12612000503820).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	593-600
Number of pages	8
Journal	American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume	122
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

blood status
DHA
preterm infant
ω-3 fatty acids
ω-6 fatty acids

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Gibson, R. A., Bednarz, J. M., Sullivan, T. R., Makrides, M., McPhee, A. J., Davis, P. G., Doyle, L. W., Cheong, J. LY., Travadi, J., Tan, K., Morris, S., Lui, K., Bolisetty, S., Stark, M. J., Thio, M., Harris, D. L., Stack, J., Berry, M., Rajadurai, V., ... Gould, J. F. (2025). ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 122(2), 593-600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014

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title = "ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants",

abstract = "Background: Concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular, the ω-3 (n–3) fatty acid DHA and the ω-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA), decrease in infant blood during the first days after very preterm birth. Objectives: This study aimed to explore factors associated with blood DHA and AA concentrations of very preterm infants receiving standard care, in the days following birth. Methods: We examined the fatty acid composition of whole blood samples collected on cards at 0–6 d after birth, from a cross-sectional study of 1174 infants born <29 weeks of gestation in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Results: Considerable variation was observed in the proportions of blood AA (1.4%–18.0%) and DHA (0.4%–5.7%) concentrations. Infant blood DHA status was not associated with gestational age at birth, but AA was lower by 0.11% for each week of gestation (95% CI: −0.07%, 0.15%). There was an inverse relationship between age of sampling after birth and DHA (0.07% lower per day; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.09%) and AA (0.09% lower; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.14%). A concomitant positive relationship was observed between days after birth and the fatty acids present in the intravenous lipid emulsion administered: ω-6 linoleic acid (range: 2.1%–35.1%) and ω-9 oleic acid (range: 12.2%–52.9%). Conclusions: Preterm infants whose blood was sampled later after birth have lower DHA and AA status relative to those sampled earlier after birth; samples taken at later timepoints are concurrently higher in the fatty acids of linoleic acid and oleic acid, which are the major compositional components of intravenous lipid emulsions routinely administered to preterm infants. The results support calls to develop intravenous feeds closely matching the fatty acid composition of infant blood at birth. The N3RO Trial is registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry as ACTRN12612000503820 (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12612000503820).",

keywords = "blood status, DHA, preterm infant, ω-3 fatty acids, ω-6 fatty acids",

author = "Gibson, {Robert A.} and Bednarz, {Jana M.} and Sullivan, {Thomas R.} and Maria Makrides and McPhee, {Andrew J.} and Davis, {Peter G.} and Doyle, {Lex W.} and Cheong, {Jeanie LY} and Javeed Travadi and Kenneth Tan and Scott Morris and Kei Lui and Srinivas Bolisetty and Stark, {Michael John} and Marta Thio and Harris, {Deborah L.} and Jacqueline Stack and Max Berry and Victor Rajadurai and Chua, {Mei Chien} and Jayagobi, {Pooja A.} and Mary Sharp and Gillian Opie and Helen Liley and Gould, {Jacqueline F.}",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014",

language = "English",

volume = "122",

pages = "593--600",

journal = "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition",

issn = "0002-9165",

publisher = "American Society for Nutrition",

number = "2",

}

Gibson, RA, Bednarz, JM, Sullivan, TR, Makrides, M, McPhee, AJ, Davis, PG, Doyle, LW, Cheong, JLY, Travadi, J, Tan, K, Morris, S, Lui, K, Bolisetty, S, Stark, MJ, Thio, M, Harris, DL, Stack, J, Berry, M, Rajadurai, V, Chua, MC, Jayagobi, PA, Sharp, M, Opie, G, Liley, H & Gould, JF 2025, 'ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants', American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 122, no. 2, pp. 593-600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014

TY - JOUR

T1 - ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants

AU - Gibson, Robert A.

AU - Bednarz, Jana M.

AU - Sullivan, Thomas R.

AU - Makrides, Maria

AU - McPhee, Andrew J.

AU - Davis, Peter G.

AU - Doyle, Lex W.

AU - Cheong, Jeanie LY

AU - Travadi, Javeed

AU - Tan, Kenneth

AU - Morris, Scott

AU - Lui, Kei

AU - Bolisetty, Srinivas

AU - Stark, Michael John

AU - Thio, Marta

AU - Harris, Deborah L.

AU - Stack, Jacqueline

AU - Berry, Max

AU - Rajadurai, Victor

AU - Chua, Mei Chien

AU - Jayagobi, Pooja A.

AU - Sharp, Mary

AU - Opie, Gillian

AU - Liley, Helen

AU - Gould, Jacqueline F.

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - Background: Concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular, the ω-3 (n–3) fatty acid DHA and the ω-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA), decrease in infant blood during the first days after very preterm birth. Objectives: This study aimed to explore factors associated with blood DHA and AA concentrations of very preterm infants receiving standard care, in the days following birth. Methods: We examined the fatty acid composition of whole blood samples collected on cards at 0–6 d after birth, from a cross-sectional study of 1174 infants born <29 weeks of gestation in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Results: Considerable variation was observed in the proportions of blood AA (1.4%–18.0%) and DHA (0.4%–5.7%) concentrations. Infant blood DHA status was not associated with gestational age at birth, but AA was lower by 0.11% for each week of gestation (95% CI: −0.07%, 0.15%). There was an inverse relationship between age of sampling after birth and DHA (0.07% lower per day; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.09%) and AA (0.09% lower; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.14%). A concomitant positive relationship was observed between days after birth and the fatty acids present in the intravenous lipid emulsion administered: ω-6 linoleic acid (range: 2.1%–35.1%) and ω-9 oleic acid (range: 12.2%–52.9%). Conclusions: Preterm infants whose blood was sampled later after birth have lower DHA and AA status relative to those sampled earlier after birth; samples taken at later timepoints are concurrently higher in the fatty acids of linoleic acid and oleic acid, which are the major compositional components of intravenous lipid emulsions routinely administered to preterm infants. The results support calls to develop intravenous feeds closely matching the fatty acid composition of infant blood at birth. The N3RO Trial is registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry as ACTRN12612000503820 (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12612000503820).

AB - Background: Concentrations of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular, the ω-3 (n–3) fatty acid DHA and the ω-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA), decrease in infant blood during the first days after very preterm birth. Objectives: This study aimed to explore factors associated with blood DHA and AA concentrations of very preterm infants receiving standard care, in the days following birth. Methods: We examined the fatty acid composition of whole blood samples collected on cards at 0–6 d after birth, from a cross-sectional study of 1174 infants born <29 weeks of gestation in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Results: Considerable variation was observed in the proportions of blood AA (1.4%–18.0%) and DHA (0.4%–5.7%) concentrations. Infant blood DHA status was not associated with gestational age at birth, but AA was lower by 0.11% for each week of gestation (95% CI: −0.07%, 0.15%). There was an inverse relationship between age of sampling after birth and DHA (0.07% lower per day; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.09%) and AA (0.09% lower; 95% CI: 0.04%, 0.14%). A concomitant positive relationship was observed between days after birth and the fatty acids present in the intravenous lipid emulsion administered: ω-6 linoleic acid (range: 2.1%–35.1%) and ω-9 oleic acid (range: 12.2%–52.9%). Conclusions: Preterm infants whose blood was sampled later after birth have lower DHA and AA status relative to those sampled earlier after birth; samples taken at later timepoints are concurrently higher in the fatty acids of linoleic acid and oleic acid, which are the major compositional components of intravenous lipid emulsions routinely administered to preterm infants. The results support calls to develop intravenous feeds closely matching the fatty acid composition of infant blood at birth. The N3RO Trial is registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry as ACTRN12612000503820 (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12612000503820).

KW - blood status

KW - DHA

KW - preterm infant

KW - ω-3 fatty acids

KW - ω-6 fatty acids

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105010870046&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/NHMRC/2016756

U2 - 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014

DO - 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.05.014

M3 - Article

C2 - 40754390

AN - SCOPUS:105010870046

SN - 0002-9165

VL - 122

SP - 593

EP - 600

JO - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

JF - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

IS - 2

ER -

ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acid status within a week of birth in a cross-sectional study of very preterm infants

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Keywords

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