scholarly journals Faculty Opinions recommendation of Efficacy of Bifidobacterium Species in Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Very-Low Birth Weight Infants. A Systematic Review.

Author(s):  
Harald Brüssow
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 ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 535-538
Author(s):  
DIANA M. WILLIS ◽  
JOANN CHABOT ◽  
INGEBORG C. RADDE ◽  
GRAHAM W. CHANCE

In recent years necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has become a major problem in neonatal intensive care units. Recent incidences as high as 8% in all infants with a birth weight less than 2.5 kg and 14% in those with a birth weight less than 1.5 kg have been reported from one center.1Despite intensive searches for possible causative factors, no definite entity has been identified, but asphyxia,2 circulatory changes associated with exchange transfusion,3 umbilical vessel catheterization,4 immature immune status,5infection,6-8 and hypertonic feedings9 have all been implicated. In the course of a series of nutritional studies involving thriving very-low-birth-weight infants we


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