Infant oil supplements leave liver-disease prevention uncertain
Evidence remains very uncertain on whether oils given through the digestive tract prevent liver complications in infants receiving intravenous nutrition.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review could not establish whether giving oils through the digestive tract prevents liver disease associated with intravenous nutrition. The prevention estimate was too uncertain to rule out either benefit or harm. These studies also do not answer whether supplements treat existing liver disease, because none enrolled infants with established disease.
The abstract describes very low evidence certainty, citing bias concerns, varied oils, inconsistent outcome definitions, excluded high-risk infants, small samples and wide confidence intervals.
What researchers found
New cholestasis: risk ratio
Enteral lipids versus placebo or no treatment during hospitalization and the first year of life; 3 studies, 265 infants.
What the ratio means
The estimated risk was 0.65 times the comparison risk; the 95% confidence interval spans 0.13 to 3.14 times. One means equal risk, so lower and higher risks remain compatible. These are relative comparisons, not absolute chances.
Other outcomes remain uncertain
Results for feeding intolerance, time to full feeds and mortality were also very uncertain. A possible reduction in hospital stay came from a small study and does not settle the broader question of benefit.
The original publication
Enteral lipid supplements for the prevention and treatment of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease in infants.
Premkumar MH, Huff KA, Cooper C et al.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41609005
- Record checked
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