EFFECTS OF INJECTED LIPID EMULSION ON OXYGEN CONSUMPTION, RQ, TRIGLYCERIDE, FREE-FATTY-ACID AND β-HYDROXYBUTYRATE LEVELS IN SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE (SGA) INFANTS

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Abstract
Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants (10) were studied from 4 h after birth (day 1) and again at 28 h (day 2) before and for 4 h after single injections of 0.5 g Intralipid fat/kg body wt (IL group). Eight other SGA infants were given 9-10 ml/kg breast milk (BM group). After lipid injection the elimination of triglycerides (TG) from plasma was markedly delayed. On day 2 lipolysis had improved, but was still slower than in previously studied appropriate-for-gestational age infants. The initial free fatty acids (FFA) plasma level was higher on day 1 than on day 2. Oxidation of released fatty acids was confirmed by a significant increase of oxygen consumption (VO2) and a decrease of respiratory quotient (RQ) on day 1 and 2. In all infants the .beta.-hydroxybutyrate level in plasma increased and was still elevated 4 h after injection of fat. A negative correlation was found between .beta.-hydroxybutyrate levels and RQ. In the BM group changes in TG and .beta.-hydroxybutyrate levels were small and insignificant. FFA had decreased 60 min after BM on day 1. TG elimination from plasma was impaired on day 1 and had slightly improved on day 2. The fatty acids released by lipolysis were oxidized as seen by increasing VO2, falling RQ and increasing .beta.-hydroxybutyrate plasma levels both on day 1 and day 2.