Outcomes Of Using SMOFlipid Emulsion in Parenteral Nutrition in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, affects approximately 12.9 million newborns globally each year, making them highly vulnerable to various complications due to the immaturity of their organ systems. This retrospective study investigates the impact of SMOFlipid, a mixed-composite lipid emulsion containing soybean oil, medium-chain triglycerides, olive oil, and fish oil, on clinical outcomes in neonates receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in a neonatal intensive care setting. Conducted at Smouha University Children's Hospitals, the study included 412 preterm neonates between January 2020 and June 2023. The study compares neonates receiving TPN with SMOFlipid (n=207) to those receiving TPN without SMOFlipid (n=205) in terms of sepsis incidence, liver function, and hospitalization duration. The findings reveal a statistically significant reduction in sepsis incidence (15.9% vs. 30.2%, p=0.007) and shorter hospitalization duration (29 ± 10 days vs. 33 ± 14 days, p=0.012) in the SMOFlipid group. Additionally, the study observed faster cholestasis improvement in the SMOFlipid group. These results suggest that SMOFlipid may offer significant clinical benefits, particularly in reducing sepsis risk and improving liver-related outcomes in preterm neonates. However, further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the long-term effects of SMOFlipid on neonatal health.