scholarly journals Routine Administration of a Multispecies Probiotic Containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus to Very Low Birth Weight Infants Had No Significant Impact on the Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian A. Juber ◽  
Timothy J. Boly ◽  
Graeme J. Pitcher ◽  
Steven J. McElroy

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of gastrointestinal morbidity in preterm infants, and prevention and treatment strategies have remained largely unchanged over the past several decades. As understanding of the microbiome has increased, probiotics have been hypothesized as a possible strategy for decreasing rates of NEC, and several studies have noted significant decreases in rates of NEC after initiation of probiotics in preterm infants. However, a recent AAP report cited caution on the use of probiotic use in part because studies of probiotic use in ELBW infants are lacking. As our unit began routine use of probiotics for all infants <33 weeks in 2015 and we are a leading institution for intact survival of ELBW infants, we attempted to answer if probiotic use can impact the rate of NEC in VLBW and ELBW infants.Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective chart review of infants with modified Bell's stage ≥2a NEC for the 4 years prior to and 5 years after initiation of a protocol involving routine supplementation of a multispecies probiotic to premature infants at the University of Iowa, Stead Family Children's Hospital. The primary outcome measures were rates of modified Bell's stage ≥2a NEC and all-cause pre-discharge mortality at our institution before and after initiation of routine probiotic supplementation in 2015.Results: In our institution, neither the rates of modified Bell's stage ≥2a NEC, nor the rates of all-cause mortality were significantly altered in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants by the initiation of routine probiotic use (NEC rates pre-probiotic 2.1% vs. post-probiotic 1.5%; all-cause mortality rates pre-probiotic 8.4% vs. post-probiotic 7.4%). Characteristics of our two cohorts were overall similar except for a significantly lower 5-minute APGAR score in infants in the post-probiotic epoch (pre-probiotic 8 vs. post-probiotic 6 p = 0.0316), and significantly more infants in the post-probiotic epoch received probiotics (pre-probiotics 0% vs. post-probiotics 65%; p < 0.0001). Similarly, probiotic use had no impact on the incidence of NEC when we restricted our data to only extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (pre-probiotics 1.6% vs post-probiotics 4.1%). When we restricted our analysis to only inborn infants, probiotics still had no impact on NEC rates in VLBW infants (1.5% pre- and 1.1% post-probiotic, p = 0.61) or ELBW infants (2% pre- and 2.1% post-probiotic, p = 0.99)Conclusions: Contrary to other studies, we found no significant difference in rates of modified Bell's stage ≥2a NEC or all-cause pre-discharge mortality in VLBW infants following routine administration of a multispecies probiotic supplement.

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paige C. Hagen ◽  
Jessica W. Skelley

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common and serious gastrointestinal diseases in preterm infants. The aim of this systematic review examines the effects of probiotics on preventing NEC in very-low birth weight (VLBW) infants with a focus on the Bifidobacterium species and its strains. A systematic review of randomized trials and retrospective studies analyzing the use of probiotics to prevent NEC in VLBW infants was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar (1996–2016). Trials reporting NEC involving preterm infants who were given Bifidobacterium alone in the first month of life were included in the systematic review. Nine studies were suitable for inclusion. Nine studies involving VLBW infants were analyzed for strain specific effects of Bifidobacterium for the prevention of NEC ≥ Stage II. B breve showed some benefit in infants < 34 weeks GA with relative risk (RR) of 0.43 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21–0.87) p = 0.019, but not in neonates < 28 weeks. B lactis greatly reduced the incidence of NEC with a RR 0.11 (95% CI: 0.03–0.47), p = < 0.001. B bifidum was not widely studied but resulted in no cases of NEC. Bifidobacterium proved to be statistically significant in reducing the incidence of NEC in preterm infants.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 137 (Supplement 3) ◽  
pp. 443A-443A
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Wicks ◽  
Anita L. Esquerra-Zwiers ◽  
Laura M. Rogers ◽  
Celina M. Scala ◽  
Shirley Chen ◽  
...  

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1882
Author(s):  
Paola Roggero ◽  
Nadia Liotto ◽  
Orsola Amato ◽  
Fabio Mosca

Improvements in quality of care have led to a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity in preterm infants, especially very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants [...]


2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (8) ◽  
pp. 1179-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Henriksen ◽  
Ane C. Westerberg ◽  
Arild Rønnestad ◽  
Britt Nakstad ◽  
Marit B. Veierød ◽  
...  

Postnatal growth failure in preterm infants is due to interactions between genetic and environmental factors, which are not fully understood. We assessed dietary supply of nutrients in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW, < 1500 g) infants fed fortified human milk, and examined the association between nutrient intake, medical factors and growth during hospitalisation lasting on average 70 d. We studied 127 VLBW infants during the early neonatal period. Data were obtained from medical records on nutrient intake, growth and growth-related factors. Extra-uterine growth restriction was defined as body weight < 10th percentile of the predicted value at discharge. Using logistic regression, we evaluated nutrient intake and other relevant factors associated with extra-uterine growth restriction in the subgroup of VLBW infants with adequate weight for gestational age at birth. The proportion of growth restriction was 33 % at birth and increased to 58 % at discharge from hospital. Recommended values for energy intake (>500 kJ/kg per d) and intra-uterine growth rate (15 g/kg per d) were not met, neither in the period from birth to 28 weeks post-conceptional age (PCA), nor from 37 weeks PCA to discharge. Factors negatively associated with growth restriction were energy intake (Ptrend = 0·002), non-Caucasian ethnicity (P = 0·04) and weight/predicted birth weight at birth (Ptrend = 0·004). Extra-uterine growth restriction is common in VLBW infants fed primarily fortified human milk. Currently recommended energy and nutrient intake for growing preterm infants was not achieved. Reduced energy supply and non-Caucasian ethnicity were risk factors for growth restriction at discharge from hospital.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia J. Johnson

ABSTRACTNewborns, and especially premature newborns, are at significant risk for developing hypotension in the first week or two after birth. The etiology of hypotension in the newborn may vary, but the very low birth weight and extremely low birth weight preterm infants are less likely to respond to conventional cardiovascular support when they develop hypotension. This article reviews the least conventional treatment using hydrocortisone for hypotension that is refractory to conventional volume replacement and/or vasopressor medications with the underlying assumption that sick and premature newborns have a relative or measured adrenal insufficiency. The addition of hydrocortisone in the treatment of hypotension in the newborn is becoming more common but is not universally advocated. However, the supportive evidence is growing, and, as reviewed, use of hydrocortisone requires judicious and cautious regard.


Author(s):  
Kumar Abdul Rashid ◽  
Reyaz Ahmad Wani ◽  
Shafat Ahmad Tak ◽  
Omar Masood ◽  
Amat U. Samie ◽  
...  

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis is a life-threatening inflammation of neonatal intestine of multifactorial etiology. In early stages, medical management is considered; while as a transmural disease with pneumatosis or perforation needs surgical attention. Primary peritoneal drainage has evolved as an alternative to classic exploratory laparotomy especially in sick preterm and very low birth weight infants.Methods: In our study, we tried to employ primary peritoneal drainage as an initial intervention in all surgical necrotizing enterocolitis patients and analyzed the results and final outcome in terms of total days in neonatal intensive care unit, total parenteral nutrition days, days to start oral feeds, need for laparotomy, mortality and other complications.Results: Around one-third patients were either very low or extremely low birth weight and 80% patients were preterm. Primary peritoneal drainage was successful without need for laparotomy in around 65% of patients. In the rest 34 patients, 24 were subjected to rescue laparotomy, while 10 could not be stabilized for major surgery. Overall mortality was 29.16%.Conclusions: Early bedside primary peritoneal drainage can be employed in all cases of NEC with perforation with rescue laparotomy to be determined by subsequent monitoring. This strategy seems to be safe and cost-effective in a resource challenged set up and lifesaving in sick and extremely low birth weight infants.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4(38)) ◽  
pp. 69-76
Author(s):  
T. Znamenska ◽  
O. Vorobiova ◽  
Y. Marushko

Parenteral nutrition can save the lives of newborns and children who cannot receive adequate oral or enteral nutrition due to premature birth, functional immaturity, intestinal failure or inability to tolerate breastfeeding enterally due to congenital surgical pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory, cardiovascular and other. Pediatric patients, in particular infants with very low and extremely low birth weight, are particularly vulnerable to energy deficiency and protein restriction, which occurs immediately after birth and / or during periods of serious illness. The aim ofthis work. Evaluate the current experience of using standardized drugs for parenteral nutrition in pharmacy and industrial production based on the analysis of the results of international clinical trials and published reviews in this regard. Materials and methods. The results of 27 scientific publications were retrospectively analyzed with clear results of clinical randomized observations (case-control studies, prospective cohort studies, time series and retrospective data), multicenter studies, meta-analyzes and systematic reviews of the use of standardized drugs nutrition, industrial production: Numeta G13E, Numeta G16E of the company "Baxter" (USA), etc., also 1 systematic review of the management of "ready-to-use" drugs for parenteral nutrition in newborns. A review of data from scientometric Internet databases: Pub Med, UpToDate, Medscape EU, Medscape Pediatrics, etc. Results. According to the literature, parenteral nutrition (PN) can be provided in the form of a standard mixture, currently mainly industrial production, which is designed to cover the nutritional needs of most patients of the same age group (pediatric, including neonatal) with a similar condition. Conclusions. Standard solutions for PN can be safely used in most pediatric and neonatal patients, including preterm infants with very low birth weight, usually for the short period of time (up to 2-3 weeks) required by most children. In general, standardized parenteral nutrition should be preferred to individualized solutions in most pediatric patients and infants, including preterm infants with very low birth weight. The ready-to-use standardized industrial product has the potential to reduce the risk of infection, provide a sufficient supply of nutrients, ensure the child's growth within the expected range, is easy to use, reduces prescription errors and potentially reduces economic costs. The short- and long-term impact of its use in subsequent clinical trials should be evaluated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 226-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozge Serce Pehlevan ◽  
Derya Benzer ◽  
Tugba Gursoy ◽  
Guner Karatekin ◽  
Fahri Ovali

Background: Probiotics and prebiotics have strain-specific effects on the host. Synbiotics, a mixture of probiotics and prebiotics, are proposed to have more beneficial effects on the host than either agent has alone.Purpose: We performed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium together with oligosaccharides and lactoferrin on the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or sepsis in very low birth weight neonates.Methods: Neonates with a gestational age ≤32 weeks and birth weight ≤1,500 g were enrolled. The study group received a combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin, whereas the control group received 1 mL of distilled water as placebo starting with the first feed until discharge. The outcome measures were the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset cultureproven sepsis and NEC stage ≥2 or death.Results: Mean birth weight and gestational age of the study (n=104) and the control (n=104) groups were 1,197±235 g vs. 1,151±269 g and 29±1.9 vs. 28±2.2 weeks, respectively (P>0.05). Neither the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or death, nor the incidence of NEC stage ≥2 or late-onset culture-proven sepsis differed between the study and control groups (5.8% vs. 5.9%, P=1; 26% vs. 21.2%, P=0.51). The only significant difference was the incidence of all stages of NEC (1.9% vs. 10.6%, P=0.019).Conclusion: The combination of synbiotics and lactoferrin did not reduce NEC severity, sepsis, or mortality.


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