الفهرس Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 159 |  |  |
| | | from | 159 | | |
Abstract
Docosaheaxaenoic acid (DHA) is one of the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA). Recently, it is considered an important nutrient responsible for neurodevelopment, visual acuity and growth during early infancy. Its deficiency in malnourished infants is suggested due to low intake via breast milk, which depends on maternal diet.
This study aims to assess DHA status of malnourished breast-fed infants and its correlation to the breast milk DHA of their mothers and the effects of the supplementation therapy on DHA status in these infants after two months.
The study was done on 40 malnourished breast-fed infants with mean age (10.22 ± 3.6) months, and mean weight (7.83±1.81) Kg, and of different socioeconomic standard. 20 healthy children matched in age and sex were served as controls.
We classified our patients to two subgroups: 20 malnourished infants supplemented with DHA enriched medicinal preparation for two months and another 20 malnourished infants left free of supplementation and reassessed after two months. All patients were subjected at the start and at the end of the study to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, and battery of investigations including (CBC, serum total proteins and serum albumin). Serum DHA levels in infants and breast milk DHA of their mothers had been estimated by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
• The results revealed that the mean values of serum DHA and breast milk DHA were significantly lower in malnourished infants and their mothers, respectively compared to controls. Further, there was a significant increase of the mean values of serum DHA in the supplemented group while there was no significant difference of serum DHA in the non supplemented group after 2 months of reassessment. Moreover, there was a positive significant correlation between serum DHA and breast milk DHA in all studied groups.
We concluded that malnourished infants had low DHA status and it was strongly dependent on the 3-FA intake from breast milk. Supplementation therapy enriched with this acid improves DHA status of these infants and their outcomes.