Omega-3 fatty acids added to intravenous feedings decrease infection risk and shorten hospital stays. Digest
Parenteral nutrition (PN) is the intravenous feeding of a person whose gastrointestinal tract is not working. Findings presented in a recent review and meta-analysis suggest that enriching the PN solution with omega-3 fatty acids improved patient outcomes and reduced the length of hospital and ICU stays.
Omega-3 fatty acids are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, considered essential because the human body cannot make them. Conventional lipid emulsions used in PN, including soybean and safflower oils, are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can increase inflammation and suppress the immune system.
The review and meta-analysis compared clinical outcomes in adult hospitalized patients administered PN enriched with omega-3 fatty acids versus non-enriched formulations. Parameters evaluated by the authors included routine lab values, markers of inflammation, rates of infection and sepsis, and the length of ICU and hospital stays.
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The data revealed that infection rates decreased by 40 percent and sepsis by 56 percent in patients who received omega-3 fatty acids in their PN infusions. Moreover, the length of hospital stays and ICU stays both decreased by approximately two days.
These findings demonstrate that omega-3 fatty acid-enriched PN can decrease infection rate, sepsis, and the length of ICU and hospital stays.