LIMITATIONS Heterogeneity of organisms and dosing regimens studied prevent a species-specific treatment recommendation from being made .
CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants benefit from probiotics to prevent severe NEC and death
CONTEXT Necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) is the most frequent gastrointestinal emergency in neonates .
The microbiome of the preterm gut may regulate the integrity of the intestinal mucosa .
Probiotics may positively contribute to mucosal integrity , potentially reducing the risk of NEC in neonates .
OBJECTIVE To perform an up date d systematic review and meta- analysis on the efficacy and safety of probiotics for the prevention of NEC in premature infants .
Comparison of stool colonization in premature infants by three dose regimes of a probiotic combination: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE To compare stool colonization among premature infants receiving high-dose probiotics versus st and ard dose . STUDY DESIGN This blinded , r and omized , placebo-controlled trial was conducted in a Level III neonatal unit . Eligibility criteria were gestational age 27 - 33 weeks , age < 96 hours , tolerating milk ≥ 15 mL/kg/day and availability for follow-up . Gastro-intestinal/life-threatening malformations and necrotizing enterocolitis/sepsis were exclusions . A total of 149 subjects were r and omly allocated to groups A through D ( received 12-hourly probiotic supplements of 10(10 ) cells for 21 days , 10(10 ) cells for 14 days , 10(9 ) cells for 21 days and placebo , respectively ) . Key outcome was stool colonization by a probiotic organism at 28 days . RESULTS Colonization with Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium was significantly higher in groups A , B , and C versus placebo respectively , but groups A through C did not differ from each other . There were trends toward more colony forming unit ( cfu ) of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium per milliliter of stool in group A versus B and B versus C. Groups A and B and spontaneous preterm labor ( SPL ) independently predicted high Lactobacillus counts on day 28 ; groups A , B , and C and SPL predicted high Bifidobacterium counts . CONCLUSION Proportion of infants colonized with probiotic species was similar with high-dose and st and ard dose regimes
LIMITATIONS Heterogeneity of organisms and dosing regimens studied prevent a species-specific treatment recommendation from being made .
CONCLUSIONS Preterm infants benefit from probiotics to prevent severe NEC and death
CONTEXT Necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) is the most frequent gastrointestinal emergency in neonates .
The microbiome of the preterm gut may regulate the integrity of the intestinal mucosa .
Probiotics may positively contribute to mucosal integrity , potentially reducing the risk of NEC in neonates .
OBJECTIVE To perform an up date d systematic review and meta- analysis on the efficacy and safety of probiotics for the prevention of NEC in premature infants .