PhD candidate Université de Montréal, Faculty of Medicine Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Background: From their initial clinical goal of providing energy-dense calories and essential fatty acids in neonatal parenteral nutrition (PN), to their potential effects on inflammatory response and clinical outcomes, newer generations of lipid intravenous emulsions (LIVE) have been emerging in the last decades. In the most recent Cochrane meta-analyses, little evidence exists regarding the benefits of new generations of LIVE, in comparison to so-called traditional LIVE, on different neonatal morbidities. Given the heterogeneity of published studies, the absence of specific guidelines regarding the choice of LIVE and recent changes in their availability, we question the preferences of clinicians in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), in the prescription and management of this PN. Objective: To profile the use of LIVE in NICUs across Canada, Italy and Mexico, in order to have a better understanding of the global factors affecting the preferences of clinicians in their choices for prevention/treatment purposes. Design/Methods: An electronic survey, using LimeSurvey platform hosted by University of Montreal and consisting of 19 questions, was sent in October 2023 to clinical directors of level III and IV NICUs in Canada (n=32), Italy (n=102), and Mexico (n=50). Survey will be open until December 2023, with reminders sent every two weeks. Questions were related to availability, prescription, use and monitoring of LIVE. Medical teams’ perceptions of advantages of newer generations of LIVE on neonatal morbidities were also questioned. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Board of CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre. A descriptive analysis of the results will be performed. This survey will be the first to document a global profile of LIVE use in NICUs across Canada, Italy, and Mexico, and to explore the intercountry variations.
