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This multicenter, parallel group study determined plasma phospholipid and red blood cell (RBC) phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fatty acids, plasma cholesterol, apo A-1 and B, growth and visual acuity (using the acuity card procedure) in term infants fed from birth to 90 d of age with formula containing palm-olein, high oleic sunflower, coconut and soy oil (22.2% 16:0, 36.2% 18:1, 18% 18:2n-6, 1.9% 18:3n-3) (n = 59) or coconut and soy oil (10.3% 16:0 18:6% 18:1, 34.2% 18:2n-6, 4.7% 18:3n-3) (n = 57) or breast-fed (n = 56) with no formula supplementation. Different centers in North America were included to overcome potential bias due to differences in n-6 or n-3 fatty acids at birth or in breast-fed infants that might occur in a single-site study. Plasma and RBC phospholipid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), cholesterol and apo B were significantly lower in the formula- than breast-fed infants. There were no differences in looking acuity or growth among the breast-fed and formula-fed infants. No significant relations were found between DHA and looking acuity, or AA and growth within or among any of the infant groups. This study provides no evidence to suggest the formula provided inadequate n-6 or n-3 fatty acids for growth and looking acuity for the first 3 mon after birth.

High fat enteral formulas have been advocated for the nutritional support of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients because dietary fat utilization under ideal conditions produces less CO2 per O2 consumed than carbohydrate. No data exist for these patients comparing the effects of a moderate fat vs. a high fat enteral formula on gastric emptying times (GE) and subsequent CO2 production (VCO2), oxygen consumption (VO2), respiratory quotient (RQ), and pulmonary function. Our double-blind crossover study compared these parameters after feeding a 355 mL (530 kcal) meal with either 41% fat calories (Respalor) or 55% fat calories (Pulmocare). Thirty-six COPD outpatients with a forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) < 60% of predicted were studied after an overnight fast. Gastric emptying half-time (GE t1/2) was measured using the 99MTc-radionuclide technique; VCO2, VO2, RQ, and other pulmonary functions were measured at 0, 30, 90, and 150 min postprandial using the Canopy Mode of the Deltatrac Metabolic Monitor and the Renaissance Spirometry System. We observed a significantly (p = 0.0001) longer GE t1/2 of the high fat meal when compared to the moderate fat meal (134.1 vs. 108.6 min) At 30 and 90, but not at 150 min postprandial, the VCO2 and VO2 for patients fed the moderate-fat formula were significantly (p = 0.05) higher than for those fed the high-fat formula; no differences were observed for the other pulmonary functions. Although RQ increased significantly (p = 0.01) after both meals, no differences between formulas were noted at all postprandial times tested. Compared to the high-fat meal, the moderate-fat meal significantly enhanced gastric emptying. The earlier rise in VCO2 and VO2 after the moderate-fat meal did not impact pulmonary function and reflected the earlier utilization of the moderate-fat meal. The fact that RQ was not different between the two meals at all postprandial times tested suggest that the higher rise in VCO2 and VO2 after the moderate-fat meal was most likely due to earlier gastric emptying of the moderate-fat meal rather than the difference of the fat-to-carbohydrate ratio between the two tested meals. The impact of these findings on long-term management of COPD patients awaits long-term prospective studies.

Two fiber-supplemented enteral formulas were recently introduced for patient application, Susta II and Enrich (12.4-g and 38.5-g soy polysaccharide/2000 kcal, respectively). This investigation had a 3-fold purpose: to determine if and to what extent fiber-supplementation changes the chemical composition of stool relative to a fiber-free formula (Ensure); to establish the clinical tolerance of the two new formulas; and to quantify the effects of soy polysaccharide on nutrient bioavailability. The study was conducted in two consecutive phases: A (n = 6 subjects; random assignment to either Ensure or Susta II for 1-2 weeks followed by isocaloric cross-over to the alternate formula for an equal period of time) and B (n = 8 subjects evaluated as in phase A except Enrich replaced Ensure). Each balance week consisted of clinical/subjective monitoring, evaluation of stool composition (H2O and dry weight), apparent nutrient absorption (energy, fat, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Na, and Cl), and metabolic balance (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl). Relative to the fiber-free formula the two fiber-supplemented solutions produced increases in fecal N, fat, H2O, and minerals of variable magnitude; there were corresponding reductions in net absorption of organic compounds and minerals. The additional minerals added to the fiber-supplemented formulas and the minimal effects on N absorption preserved balance; the retention of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl were similar for all three formulas. No adverse clinical effects of the fiber-supplemented formulas were noted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Enhanced nitrogen utilization occurs when adults with gastrointestinal disease are fed partially hydrolyzed proteins instead of isonitrogenous, isocaloric crystalline amino acids. A controlled trial was conducted to determine if this difference was also seen in malnourished stressed cancer patients and to gain an understanding of the underlying mechanism. Sixteen malnourished patients with head and neck cancer were prospectively randomized to either crystalline amino acid-glucose (CAA-G) or partially hydrolyzed protein-glucose (PHP-G) diets. Patients were fed via an enteral tube for 10 days starting on the second postoperative day. Blood SMA-6 and amino acid levels were measured on Days 1 and 10. Daily calorie counts and fluid balance were obtained. Daily 24-hr urine and stools were analyzed for total N during the last 5 days of the study period. The daily positive N balance with both diets was the same (CAA-G = +7.8 +/- 0.8 vs PHP-G = +8.2 +/- 1.0 g; mean +/- SE) and 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratio did not differ. Patients on PHP-G diet gained significantly more weight (+0.5 vs - 1.5 kg; P less than 0.01) and had significantly higher serum albumin (3.2 +/- 0.2 vs 2.8 +/- 0.1 g/dl; P = 0.5) by the end of the 10th study day. Weight changes were not due to fluid retention: serum Na+, K+, creatinine and mean fluid intake for the two groups remained the same during the study period. A significantly greater rise in BUN occurred on the CAA-G diet (from 9.2 +/- 1.7 to 15.4 +/- 1.4 mg/dl; P less than 0.05) while BUN remained unchanged on the PHP-G diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)