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Probiotics for promoting feed tolerance in very low birth weight neonates — A randomized controlled trial

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Abstract

Objective

To measure the efficacy of a probiotic formulation on time to reach full enteral feeds in VLBW (very low birth weight) newborns.

Design

Blinded randomized control trial.

Setting

A tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Southern India between August 2012 to November 2013.

Participants

104 newborns with a birth weight of 750–1499 g on enteral feeds.

Intervention

Probiotic group (n=52) received a multicomponent probiotic formulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium longum and Saccharomyces boulardii once a day at a dose of 1.25×109 CFU from the time of initiation of enteral feeds till discharge and the control group (n=52) received only breast milk.

Outcome measure

Time to reach full enteral feeds (150 mL/kg/day).

Results

The mean (SD) time to reach full enteral feeding was 11.2 (8.3) days in probiotic vs. 12.7 (8.9) in no probiotic group; (P=0.4), and was not significantly different between the two study groups. There was a trend towards lower necrotizing enterocolitis in the probiotic group (4% vs. 12%).

Conclusion

Probiotic supplementation does not seem to result in significant improvement of feed tolerance in VLBW newborns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, St. John’s Medical College, Sarjapur Road, Bangalore 34, Karnataka, India

    A. Shashidhar, P. N. Suman Rao, Saudamini Nesargi, Swarnarekha Bhat & B. S. Chandrakala

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  1. A. Shashidhar
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  2. P. N. Suman Rao
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  3. Saudamini Nesargi
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  4. Swarnarekha Bhat
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  5. B. S. Chandrakala
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Correspondence to A. Shashidhar.

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Shashidhar, A., Suman Rao, P.N., Nesargi, S. et al. Probiotics for promoting feed tolerance in very low birth weight neonates — A randomized controlled trial . Indian Pediatr 54, 363–367 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-017-1106-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-017-1106-2

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