Effects of a medium-chain triacylglycerol/long-chain triacylglycerol fat emulsion containing a reduced ratio of phospholipid to triacylglycerol in pediatric surgical patients

Objective Medium-chain triacylglycerol (MCT) has been shown to provide better nutritional support than long-chain triacylglycerol (LCT). We compared the efficacy of MCT/LCT fat emulsions containing a usual (0.12) or a decreased (0.06) ratio of phospholipid to triacylglycerol (PL:TG) in pediatric patients under surgical stress. Methods Three patient groups (n = 10 in each) received equivalent amounts of glucose (12 g · kg−1 · d−1) and amino acids (2 g · kg−1 · d−1), but group A received a 10% MCT fat emulsion (PL:TG 0.06), group B received a 20% MCT fat emulsion (PL:TG 0.06), and group C received a 10% MCT/LCT fat emulsion (PL:TG 0.12) in amounts of 1.5 g · kg−1 · d−1 in a randomized study. Total parenteral nutrition was given for 7 d. Blood samples were collected before total parenteral nutrition administration and on days 4 and 7 for determination of various biochemical indexes. Results Serum phospholipid concentrations were significantly higher in group C than in group A or B on days 4 and 7 (P < 0.05). Serum triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations and the very-low-density lipoprotein percentage were also significantly higher in group C than in group A or B on days 4 and 7 (P < 0.05). The high-density lipoprotein percentage was significantly higher in group B on days 4 and 7 (P < 0.05). Conclusions In pediatric patients under surgical stress, a total parenteral nutrition regimen containing an MCT/LCT fat emulsion with a decreased PL:TG ratio (0.06) is likely to result in partly better lipid and lipoprotein metabolism than an emulsion containing the usual ratio (0.12).