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Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been shown to improve oxygen-related lung injury in animals. To determine if providing DHA to breast-feeding mothers could improve bronchopulmonary dysplasia–free survival in extremely premature infants, investigators conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, superiority clinical trial at 16 Canadian neonatal intensive care units.
A total of 461 breastfeeding mothers, with 528 infants born between 23 and 28 weeks of gestation, were randomized to receive oral supplementation with DHA (1.2 g/day) or placebo, from 72 days postdelivery until 36 weeks postmenstrual age.
Results were as follows:
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia–free survival at 36 weeks (the primary outcome) was not significantly improved in infants in the…