Enteral supplementation of probiotics prevents severe NEC and all cause mortality in preterm infants .
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) and nosocomial sepsis are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in preterm infants .
Through prevention of bacterial migration across the mucosa , competitive exclusion of pathogenic bacteria , and enhancing the immune responses of the host , prophylactic enteral probiotics ( live microbial supplements ) may play a role in reducing NEC and the associated morbidity .
OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy and safety of prophylactic enteral probiotics administration versus placebo or no treatment in the prevention of severe NEC or sepsis , or both , in preterm infants .
Effects of feeding premature infants with Lactobacillus GG on gut fermentation.
The study aim ed to find out whether gut colonisation of premature babies with a probiotic , Lactobacillus GG , modified enteric carbohydrate fermentation . Twenty preterm infants were r and omised to receive Lactobacillus GG 10(8 ) colony forming units twice a day for two weeks or to a control group . Faecal short chain fatty acids ( SCFAs ) , ethanol , and urinary 2,3-butanediol , were measured in parallel with microbiological studies . Lactobacillus GG colonised nine babies . From 1 - 28 days of age faecal SCFAs did not differ significantly from controls . Median and ranges were ( treated and controls , respectively ) : acetic acid : 173 ( trace-799 ) , 166 ( trace-700 ) ; propionic acid : 44 ( trace-169 ) , 37 ( 11 - 229 ) ; butyric acid : 31 ( 5 - 107 ) , 37 ( 2 - 118 ) mumol/g dry weight . Ethanol was detected in more faecal sample s from treated babies ( 65 % v 37 % ) , and at higher concentration ( 6.3 ( trace-40 ) v 3.3 ( 0.6 - 8.8 ; one 229 ) mumol/g ) . 2,3-Butanediol was found in 66 % of urine sample s from treated babies and 58 % from controls . On 83 % of these occasions Klebsiella sp , Enterobacter sp , or Serratia sp were cultured from faeces . Lactobacillus GG had no obvious adverse effects on nutritionally important SCFAs . The small increase in ethanol excretion is unlikely to have clinical significance
Enteral supplementation of probiotics prevents severe NEC and all cause mortality in preterm infants .
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) and nosocomial sepsis are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in preterm infants .
Through prevention of bacterial migration across the mucosa , competitive exclusion of pathogenic bacteria , and enhancing the immune responses of the host , prophylactic enteral probiotics ( live microbial supplements ) may play a role in reducing NEC and the associated morbidity .
OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy and safety of prophylactic enteral probiotics administration versus placebo or no treatment in the prevention of severe NEC or sepsis , or both , in preterm infants .