Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40895181›Full record

ArticleCurrent developments in nutrition2025

Enteral High-Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid and Neurodevelopment in Extremely Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Emily Shepherd, Naho Ikeda, Thomas R Sullivan, Isabelle Marc, Mireille Guillot, Andrew J McPhee, Robert A Gibson, Maria Makrides, Jacqueline F Gould

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Current developments in nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Emily ShepherdWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Naho IkedaWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Thomas R SullivanWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Isabelle MarcDepartment of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
Mireille GuillotDepartment of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
Andrew J McPheeWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Robert A GibsonWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Maria MakridesWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Jacqueline F GouldWomen and Kids Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Enteral high-dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may be required for neurodevelopment, including cognition, of extremely preterm infants. High-level summative evidence is lacking. Objectives: This study aims to examine associations between enteral high-dose DHA during the neonatal period and neurodevelopment in infants born ≤29 wk of gestation. Methods: The following databases were searched (from inception to 11 April, 2024): CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in infants born ≤29 wk, assessing direct enteral administration ≥ 40 mg/kg/d DHA, or breast milk/formula with DHA ≥ 0.60% total fatty acids, reporting neurodevelopmental outcomes. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and assessed quality using the Cochrane Handbook guidance. Data were pooled using fixed or random-effect meta-analyses. The primary outcome was global cognitive scores from a standardized test. Results: We screened 1978 articles and included 3 high-quality RCTs (2028 infants born ≤29 wk). Enteral high-dose DHA was not associated with overall differences in global cognition scores at a corrected age (CA) of 18-36 mo [3 RCTs, 638 children, mean difference (MD) 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.80, 3.15; Conclusions: Enteral high-dose DHA in extremely preterm infants was not associated with differences in global cognition scores on meta-analysis; however, higher scores were observed with the use of a direct emulsion. Results support contemporary recommendations.This trial was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42022382744 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022382744).

Indexed as

cognitionDHAsenteral nutritioninfantprematuresystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40895181
PMCPMC12396270

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.