2017 Volume 32 Issue 2 Pages 977-982
Purpose: Omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA) have been reported to ameliorate hyperbilirubinemia in children with intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD). However, little is known about its efficacy for other liver dysfunctions.
Methods: Patients' history and data were retrospectively collected from their medical records. Eighteen neonates were divided into two groups, IFALD neonates who required intestinal surgery (n=9) and non-IFALD icteric neonates (n=9). The efficacy of O3FA was analyzed in both groups. For statistical analysis, chi-square test was used in patients' background parameters, treatment period and response rate, and Mann-Whitney test was used in level of serum sitosterol and bilirubin, respectively.
Results: Patients' background such as gestational age (p=0.07), birth weight (p=0.5) and direct bilirubin (p=0.8) was not statistically different in both groups. The period of O3FA treatment in the IFALD and non-IFALD group was 57 days and 42 days, respectively (p=0.09). O3FA treatment ameliorated hyperbilirubinemia; response rate was 89% in IFALD group and 56% in non-IFALD group (p=0.13). One patient died of liver failure in IFALD group. In non-IFALD group, two patients died of primary diseases and two required liver transplantation.
Conclusion: IFALD neonates have high response rate to O3FA treatment. Further investigation is needed to determine the indication for O3FA treatment for non-IFALD neonates.
