A new systematic review and meta-analysis has been published electronically in Intensive Care Medicine on the use of alternative parenteral lipid emulsions in the critically ill.

A total of 12 RCTs conducted in a critical care setting that evaluated omega-6 reducing strategies in parenteral nutrition were included. The results of the meta analysis showed that parenteral omega-6 reducing strategies were associated with a trend towards a reduction in mortality, mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay. No effect on infectious complications was seen.

The citation of the electronic publication is below:

Manzanares W, Dhaliwal R, Jurewitsch B, Stapleton RD, Jeejeebhoy KN, Heyland DK. Alternative lipid emulsions in the critically ill: a systematic review of the evidence. Intensive Care Med. 2013 Jun 29. [Epub ahead of print].

 PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23812404

Acknowledgements: Thank you to the journal Intensive Care Medicine.