A therapeutic trial of fatty acid supplementation in cystic fibrosis.

Seven children with cystic fibrosis (CF) have been treated for at least one year with intravenously administered soya oil emulsion. In all, an improvement of at least one biochemical abnormality in character with the disease appeared. The children's clinical course remains benign. This course is remarkably better than that of other children with CF treated without Intralipid in Auckland in the same period, though a placebo effect cannot be discounted. It is postulated that intravenous supplementation with essential fatty acid in CF may in turn partially correct an error of metabolism of prostaglandins present in the disease.