1.
Bifidobacterium breve BBG-001 in very preterm infants: a randomised controlled phase 3 trial.
Costeloe, K, Hardy, P, Juszczak, E, Wilks, M, Millar, MR, ,
Lancet (London, England). 2016;(10019):649-660
Abstract
BACKGROUND Probiotics may reduce necrotising enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis after preterm birth. However, there has been concern about the rigour and generalisability of some trials and there is no agreement about whether or not they should be used routinely. We aimed to test the effectiveness of the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve BBG-001 to reduce necrotising enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, and death in preterm infants. METHODS In this multicentre, randomised controlled phase 3 study (the PiPS trial), we recruited infants born between 23 and 30 weeks' gestational age within 48 h of birth from 24 hospitals in southeast England. Infants were randomly assigned (1:1) to probiotic or placebo via a minimisation algorithm randomisation programme. The probiotic intervention was B breve BBG-001 suspended in dilute elemental infant formula given enterally in a daily dose of 8·2 to 9·2 log10 CFU; the placebo was dilute infant formula alone. Clinicians and families were masked to allocation. The primary outcomes were necrotising enterocolitis (Bell stage 2 or 3), blood culture positive sepsis more than 72 h after birth; and death before discharge from hospital. All primary analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number 05511098 and EudraCT, number 2006-003445-17. FINDINGS Between July 1, 2010, and July 31, 2013, 1315 infants were recruited; of whom 654 were allocated to probiotic and 661 to placebo. Five infants had consent withdrawn after randomisation, thus 650 were analysed in the probiotic group and 660 in the placebo group. Rates of the primary outcomes did not differ significantly between the probiotic and placebo groups. 61 infants (9%) in the probiotic group had necrotising enterocolitis compared with 66 (10%) in the placebo group (adjusted risk ratio 0·93 (95% CI 0·68-1·27); 73 (11%) infants in the probiotics group had sepsis compared with 77 (12%) in the placebo group (0·97 (0·73-1·29); and 54 (8%) deaths occurred before discharge home in the probiotic group compared with 56 (9%) in the placebo group (0·93 [0·67-1·30]). No probiotic-associated adverse events were reported. INTERPRETATION There is no evidence of benefit for this intervention in this population; this result does not support the routine use of B breve BBG-001 for prevention of necrotising enterocolitis and late-onset sepis in very preterm infants. FUNDING UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.
2.
Probiotics feeding in prevention of urinary tract infection, bacterial sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. A prospective double-blind study.
Dani, C, Biadaioli, R, Bertini, G, Martelli, E, Rubaltelli, FF
Biology of the neonate. 2002;(2):103-8
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been suggested that probiotics can reduce the overgrowth of pathogens in the bowels of preterm infants and contribute to the reduction of the incidence of nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Lactobacillus GG supplementation in reducing the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs), bacterial sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants. METHODS A double-blind study was conducted in 12 Italian NICUs. Newborn infants with a gestational age <33 weeks or birthweight <1,500 g were randomized to receive standard milk feed supplemented with Lactobacillus GG (Dicoflor), Dicofarm, Rome, Italy) in a dose of 6 x 10(9) colony-forming units (cfu) once a day until discharge, starting with the first feed or placebo. RESULTS Five hundred eighty-five patients were studied. The probiotics group (n = 295) and the placebo group (n = 290) exhibited similar clinical characteristics. The duration of Lactobacillus GG and placebo supplementation was 47.3 +/- 26.0 and 48.2 +/- 24.3 days, respectively. Although UTIs (3.4 vs. 5.8%) and NEC (1.4 vs. 2.7%) were found less frequently in the probiotic group compared to the control group, these differences were not significant. Bacterial sepsis was more frequent in the probiotics group (4.4%, n = 11) than in the placebo group (3.8%, n = 9), but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION Seven days of Lactobacillus GG supplementation starting with the first feed is not effective in reducing the incidence of UTIs, NEC and sepsis in preterm infants. Further studies are required to confirm our results in lower birthweight populations.
3.
Benefits of a standardised feeding regimen during a clinical trial in preterm neonates.
Patole, SK, Kadalraja, R, Tuladhar, R, Almonte, R, Muller, R, Whitehall, JS
International journal of clinical practice. 2000;(7):429-31
Abstract
The feeding regimen was standardised for a trial of erythromycin to reduce the time to reach full feeds (150 ml/kg/day) by 30% in neonates of < or = 32 weeks gestation. No significant improvement was noted in the primary outcome (median time: erythromycin 93.5 vs placebo 104 hours, p = 0.60). However, necrotising enterocolitis > or = stage II disappeared and the time to full feeds was reduced by over 50% in all neonates during the 18-month trial, and for more than two years after the trial, when the standardised feeding regimen was adopted as routine policy for feeding neonates of < or = 32 weeks (< 28 weeks: 13 vs 4.8 days, p < 0.05; > 28 weeks: 8 vs 3.9 days, p < 0.05). This was in contrast to an average of six cases of NEC per year with 45% mortality during the previous five years. The benefits of standardised feeding schedules--improved detection/treatment of signs/symptoms of feed intolerance--are emphasised.