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Table 2 Plasma fatty acid profile (mol%) at birth in term and preterm infants

From: Plasma arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in Tunisian very low birth weight infants: status and association with selected neonatal morbidities

 

Term infants

Preterm infants

 

(n = 339)

All (n = 709)

Without GD or PE in mothers (n = 482)

Palmitic acid (C16:0)

30.0 (2.56)

30.5 (2.25)**

30.6 (2.29)**

Stearic acid (C18:0)

10.0 (1.62)

10.7 (1.54)***

10.7 (1.53)***

Oleic acid (C18:1 n-9)

24.8 (2.57)

27.2 (2.11)***

27.3 (2.01)***

Linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6)

10.7 (1.99)

9.37 (2.14)***

9.27 (2.14)***

Alpha Linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3)

0.39 (0.17)

0.31 (0.12)***

0.30 (0.12)***

Arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6)

10.8 (2.10)

9.44 (2.12)***

9.35 (2.09)***

Eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 n-3)

0.54 (0.32)

0.52 (0.30)**

0.48 (0.30)**

Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n-3)

3.46 (1.09)

2.56 (0.89)***

2.55 (0.88)***

Saturated fatty acids (SFAs)

41.2 (3.29)

42.7 (3.20)***

42.8 (3.25)***

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)

29.9 (2.90)

32.7 (2.56)***

32.8 (2.47)***

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)

28.8 (4.39)

24.7 (5.01)***

24.5 (4.96)***

Essential fatty acids (EFAs)

11.1 (2.03)

9.71 (2.24)***

9.61 (2.24)***

n-6:n-3 PUFAs

5.17 (1.46)

5.58 (1.22)***

5.51 (1.16)***

  1. GD gestational diabetes, PE preeclampsia; SFAs = C14:0 + C16:0 + C18:0; MUFAs = C16:1 n-7 + C18:1 n-9; EFAs = C18:2 n-6 + C18:3 n-3; PUFAs = n-6 PUFAs (C18:2 n-6 + C18:3 n-6 + C20:3 n-6 + C20:4 n-6) + n-3 PUFAs (C18:3 n-3 + C22:5 n-3 + C22:6 n-3)
  2. Values represent mean (SD); **, p < 0.01, ***, p < 0.001 (compared to term infants)