Parenteral lipid emulsion containing fish oil with docosahexaenoic acid and preterm infant outcomes: an evidence overview.

Intravenous lipid emulsions are essential components of nutrition for preterm infants. The aim of this scoping review was to assess the evidence base for intravenous lipid emulsions with and without fish oil for preterm infant health outcomes. We searched PubMed up to May 2024 and found six systematic reviews with meta-analyses (synthesizing results of 22 randomized controlled trials and five observational studies), one narrative review (including four publications from three randomized controlled trials and four observational studies, without meta-analysis) reporting 10 infant outcomes. Results were largely null but limited by small samples, study quality, and heterogeneity in duration, dose, and timing of intravenous lipid emulsions, as well as participants characteristics and measurement of outcomes. The evidence does not support or refute that parenteral nutrition with or without fish oil is better for preterm infants, but further research is needed for robust evidence.