Intravenous intralipid infusion in hepatic steatosis: an in vivo hepatic phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

We report the case of an insulin-dependent diabetic with persistent abdominal pain secondary to non-alcohol-related hepatic steatosis which was unrelieved with standard analgesia. The pain responded to regular intravenous infusion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (intralipid 10%). In vivo hepatic magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and in vitro proton MRS of plasma in the patient and also in three healthy volunteers demonstrated metabolic changes consistent with intralipid induced stimulation of hepatic fatty acid P-oxidation. Pharmacological stimulation of endogenous hepatic fatty acid oxidation as a therapeutic approach in hepatic steatosis is worthy of further investigation. 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.