No statistically significant subgroup differences were found according to infant risk of allergy or type of infant feed .
There is some evidence that a prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds may prevent eczema .
It is unclear whether the use of prebiotic should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk population s ; or whether it may have an effect on other allergic diseases including asthma
BACKGROUND Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotic given to infants for the prevention of allergy .
The effect of glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition on intestinal permeability in very-low-birth-weight infants: a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND Very-low-birth-weight ( VLBW ) infants are susceptible to glutamine depletion . Glutamine depletion has negative effects on intestinal integrity . The lower infection rate in VLBW infants receiving glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition  may originate from improved intestinal integrity , as reflected by decreased intestinal permeability . The aim of our study was to investigate whether glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition in VLBW infants enhances the normal decrease in intestinal permeability , as measured by the sugar absorption test ( SAT ) . METHODS In a double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial , VLBW infants ( gestational age < 32 weeks or birth weight < 1,500 g ) received enteral glutamine supplementation ( 0.3 g/kg/d ) or an isonitrogenous placebo supplementation ( alanine ) between days 3 and 30 of life . Intestinal permeability , determined from the urinary lactulose/mannitol ( L/M ) ratio after an oral dose of lactulose and mannitol , was assessed at 4 time points : before the start of the study , and at days 7 , 14 , and 30 of life . RESULTS At least 2 SATs were performed in 45/52 ( 86 % ) and 45/50 ( 90 % ) infants in the glutamine-supplemented and control groups , respectively . Baseline patient and nutrition characteristics were not different between the groups . There was no effect of glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition on the decrease of the L/M ratio between the start and end of the study ( p = .78 ) . In both treatment groups , median urinary lactulose concentrations decreased ( p < .001 ) , whereas median urinary mannitol concentrations increased ( p = .003 ) . CONCLUSIONS Glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition does not enhance the postnatal decrease in intestinal permeability in VLBW infants . Any beneficial effect of glutamine may involve other aspects of intestinal integrity ; for example , modulation of the intestinal inflammatory response
No statistically significant subgroup differences were found according to infant risk of allergy or type of infant feed .
There is some evidence that a prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds may prevent eczema .
It is unclear whether the use of prebiotic should be restricted to infants at high risk of allergy or may have an effect in low risk population s ; or whether it may have an effect on other allergic diseases including asthma
BACKGROUND Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotic given to infants for the prevention of allergy .