Total Parenteral Nutrition‐Induced Steatosis: Reversal by Parenteral Lipid Infusion

Abstract

Prolonged use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may be associated with hepatic complications, primarily steatosis and cholestasis. A case is reported of an 18‐year‐old woman with chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo‐obstruction syndrome who was on prolonged home parenteral nutrition without lipid supplementation and developed steatosis. This finding was reversed by addition of lipid emulsion, at a dose of 0.5 g/kg/day, to the parenteral nutrition solution. The lack of lipid supplementation as a possible cause of steatosis, as well as other mechanisms of liver steatosis associated with TPN, are discussed. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 15:102–104, 1991)