Docosahexanoic Acid Supplementation In Preterm Neonates Admitted In Nicu And Its Effect On Inflammatory Markers At Day 10 -An Open Labelled Randomized Control

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation on inflammatory markers in preterm neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Methods: In this open label randomized controlled trial, 49 preterm neonates between 32 and 34 weeks of gestational age were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving DHA supplementation and the other serving as a control. The DHA group (n=25) received 100 mg/day of DHA orally along with standard neonatal feeding while the control group (n=24) received only standard neonatal feeding. The study population included 27 females and 22 males with a gestational age distribution of 40.8% between 32 to 32 weeks 6 days and 59.2% between 33 to 33 weeks 6 days. Inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and procalcitonin, were measured on the 10th day of life. Results: A statistically significant reduction in IL-6 and procalcitonin levels was observed in the DHA group compared to the control group. The mean procalcitonin level in the DHA group was 0.27 ± 0.152 ng/mL, significantly lower than 0.72 ± 0.930 ng/mL in the control group (p = 0.029). Similarly, IL-6 levels were lower in the DHA group (2.47 ± 0.552 pg/mL) compared to the control group (3.40 ± 1.80 pg/mL) (p = 0.019). The incidence of abdominal distension was also significantly lower in the DHA group (4%) compared to the control group (33.3%) (p = 0.011). No significant differences were noted for respiratory distress or hyperbilirubinemia between the two groups. Conclusion: DHA supplementation in preterm neonates may significantly reduce inflammation as evidenced by lower levels of IL-6 and procalcitonin. The findings suggest that DHA supplementation could potentially be beneficial in reducing complications associated with inflammation in preterm neonates.