Table 3.
Levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) and ratios at different points according to supplementation.
| MCT-S (n = 10) | ARA:DHA-S (n = 12) | p-Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linoleic acid (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 11.10 (5.0) | 15.52 (5.36) | 0.063 |
| At 28 DPL | 19.38 (0.57) | 15.74 (3.78) * | 0.005 |
| At 36 WPA | 22.80 (1.41) | 18.54 (1.68) * | 0.018 |
| Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 1.60 (0.41) | 1.40 (0.69) | 0.518 |
| At 28 DPL | 2.34 (0.48) | 1.96 (0.37) * | 0.040 |
| At 36 WPA | 2.32 (0.58) | 1.68 (0.38) * | 0.018 |
| Arachidonic acid (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 8.31 (1.54) | 7.45 (3.45) | 0.470 |
| At 28 DPL | 7.91 (1.48) | 8.29 (2.47) | 0.329 |
| At 36 WPA | 7.50 (1.27) | 9.27 (2.34) | 0.050 |
| α-Linolenic acid (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 0.23 (0.19) | 0.78 (0.49) | 0.121 |
| At 28 DPL | 0.16 (0.09) | 0.50 (0.35) * | 0.006 |
| At 36 WPA | 0.22 (0.10) | 0.52 (0.33) * | 0.018 |
| Eicosapentaenoic acid (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 0.78 (0.65) | 1.63 (0.57) * | 0.037 |
| At 28 DPL | 0.55 (0.80) | 0.62 (0.90) | 0.491 |
| At 36 WPA | 0.28 (0.31) | 0.44 (0.24) | 0.289 |
| Docosahexaenoic acid (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 3.07 (1.40) | 3.08 (0.91) | 0.909 |
| At 28 DPL | 2.79 (0.62) | 3.08 (0.58) | 0.770 |
| At 36 WPA | 2.61 (1.17) | 2.83 (0.44) | 0.346 |
| Saturated fatty acids (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 32.41 (3.29) | 31.97 (1.95) | 0.970 |
| At 28 DPL | 32.89 (2.47) | 35.40 (0.66) | 0.064 |
| At 36 WPA | 33.71 (1.91) | 35.70 (2.07) | 0.077 |
| Monounsaturated fatty acids (nmol %) | |||
| At birth | 38.72 (3.15) | 35.85 (3.33) * | 0.007 |
| At 28 DPL | 30.55 (2.93) | 30.75 (3.70) | 0.380 |
| At 36 WPA | 29.21 (2.46) | 30.26 (3.40) | 0.480 |
| n-6:n-3 LCPUFAs (arbitrary units) | |||
| At birth | 3.88 (1.46) | 3.91 (1.10) | 0.970 |
| At 28 DPL | 6.75 (2.45) | 5.16 (1.38) | 0.097 |
| At 36 WPA | 8.17 (1.78) | 7.48 (1.62) | 0.389 |
| Linoleic acid:docosahexaenoic acid (arbitrary units) | |||
| At birth | 4.01 (0.69) | 5.04 (1.17) * | 0.020 |
| At 28 DPL | 6.57 (1.06) | 4.67 (0.84) * | 0.006 |
| At 36 WPA | 8.21 (2.65) | 6.26 (2.35) * | 0.045 |
| Arachidonic acid:docosahexaenoic acid (arbitrary units) | |||
| At birth | 2.65 (1.56) | 2.52 (1.35) | 0.790 |
| At 28 DPL | 2.74 (1.15) | 2.59 (0.84) | 0.558 |
| At 36 WPA | 2.95 (0.77) | 3.41 (0.61) | 0.346 |
Data show medians (IQR). Days of postnatal life (DPL), weeks of postmenstrual age (WPA). p-values compare ARA:DHA-S with MCT-S at each point. Supplements were given in three aliquots, at 9:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m., and 12:00 a.m. * p < 0.05; Mann–Whitney U test.