Based on the available trials , the evidence does not support the administration of oral immunoglobulin for the prevention of NEC .
There are no r and omized controlled trials of oral IgA alone for the prevention of NEC
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) is the most common emergency involving the gastrointestinal tract occurring in the neonatal period .
There have been published reports that suggest that oral immunoglobulins (Ig)A and IgG produce an immunoprotective effect in the gastrointestinal mucosa .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of oral immunoglobulin on the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and other complications in preterm or low birth weight ( or both ) neonates .
Prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in low-birth-weight infants by IgA-IgG feeding.
In a r and omized clinical trial , we evaluated the efficacy of an oral immunoglobulin preparation ( 73 percent IgA and 26 percent IgG ) in reducing the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis in infants of low birth weight for whom breast milk from their mothers was not available . A total of 434 infants weighing between 800 and 2000 g were eligible for entry in the study . Of these , 255 were withdrawn - 234 during the first week of the study because breast milk from their mothers became available ( 123 in the treatment group and 111 in the control group ) , and 21 because of violations of protocol or because breast milk became available after the first week . The duration of follow-up was 28 days . Among the infants for whom breast milk did not become available during the study , there were no cases of necrotizing enterocolitis among the 88 receiving oral IgA-IgG , as compared with six cases among the 91 control infants ( P = 0.0143 ) . Of the infants withdrawn from the study , two assigned to the control group had necrotizing enterocolitis . We conclude that the oral administration of IgA-IgG may prevent the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in low-birth-weight infants
Based on the available trials , the evidence does not support the administration of oral immunoglobulin for the prevention of NEC .
There are no r and omized controlled trials of oral IgA alone for the prevention of NEC
BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis ( NEC ) is the most common emergency involving the gastrointestinal tract occurring in the neonatal period .
There have been published reports that suggest that oral immunoglobulins (Ig)A and IgG produce an immunoprotective effect in the gastrointestinal mucosa .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of oral immunoglobulin on the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and other complications in preterm or low birth weight ( or both ) neonates .