Mixed Oil-Based Lipid Emulsions vs Soybean Oil-Based Lipid Emulsions on Incidence and Severity of Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background Neonates requiring long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) are at risk for developing intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD). The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence and severity of IFALD in a highly surgical neonatal population receiving mixed oil-based lipid emulsions (MOLEs) vs soybean oil-based lipid emulsions (SOLEs) for long-term PN. Methods This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients admitted to a neonatal intensive care nursery that received PN for >= 14 days. Patients were separated into 2 cohorts; those who received SOLE and those who received MOLE. The primary outcome of this study was the occurrence of IFALD. Secondary outcomes included time to IFALD, peak bilirubin level during therapy, incidence of hypertriglyceridemia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and retinopathy of prematurity. Results A total of 107 patients were included in the study, IFALD occurred in 44.8% of patients receiving SOLE compared with 30% of patients receiving MOLE (relative risk, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.39-1.15). In the multivariable analysis, adjusting for the known confounders (prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, presence of ostomy, and duration of PN and lipids), the type of lipids was not a significant predictor for development of IFALD. Duration of PN and duration of lipids were determined to be significant risk factors for IFALD, regardless of type of lipid emulsion (odds ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05). Conclusions Use of MOLE resulted in no significant difference in the outcomes studied when compared with SOLE. Duration of PN and duration of lipids were significant risk factors for development of IFALD.