: Probiotic supplementation reduces the risk of LOS in preterm infants
CONTEXT : Late-onset sepsis ( LOS ) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants .
Despite various preventive measures , its incidence continues to remain high , hence the urgent need for additional approaches .
One such potential strategy is supplementation with probiotics .
Currently there are > 30 r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) of probiotics in preterm infants that have reported on LOS .
Probiotics and growth in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial, PREMAPRO study.
BACKGROUND & AIMS Recent studies have suggested that the gut microflora has metabolic effects . We aim ed to evaluate postnatal growth in preterm infants who received different probiotic supplements  , and to assess the safety of probiotic administration . METHODS This prospect i ve , r and omized , double-blind , controlled trial was performed at three tertiary care neonatal units . Preterm infants were r and omly assigned to receive daily supplementation over 4 - 6 weeks with placebo ( group C ) or probiotics ( group P ) . Group P comprised three subgroups : P1 received Bifidobacterium lactis , P2 received Bifidobacterium longum , and P3 received B. lactis and B. longum . We assessed postnatal growth during the supplementation period and up to a corrected gestational age ( GA ) of 41 weeks when body composition was assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry . Aerobic and anaerobic blood cultures were performed on suspicion of late-onset sepsis . RESULTS The study comprised 199 preterm infants with a mean GA of 29.1 ± 1.4 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1173 ± 210 g , who received a placebo  ( group C , n = 52 )  or probiotics  ( group P , n = 147 ) from the first week of life . At the end of the supplementation period , no statistically significant differences were seen between the groups in relation to the mean body weight ( group C = 1906 ± 23 g , group P = 1875 ± 14 g , p = 0.25 ) , length , or head circumference . The incidence rates of necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis were similar in the two groups . At the corrected GA of 41 weeks , there were no differences between the groups with respect to anthropometric measurements or body composition analysis . CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants receiving  Bifidobacterium supplements did not exhibit better postnatal growth compared with those who received placebo treatment . No adverse effects were associated with probiotic administration . Registered under Clinical Trials.gov Identifier no. NCT01379417
: Probiotic supplementation reduces the risk of LOS in preterm infants
CONTEXT : Late-onset sepsis ( LOS ) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants .
Despite various preventive measures , its incidence continues to remain high , hence the urgent need for additional approaches .
One such potential strategy is supplementation with probiotics .
Currently there are > 30 r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) of probiotics in preterm infants that have reported on LOS .