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Effects of prophylactic probiotics supplementation on infants born very preterm or very low birth weight

Journal of Perinatology volume 43, pages 635–641 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effects of guideline-driven prophylactic supplementation of a multi-strain neonatal intensive care unit-specific probiotic product on infants born very preterm (VP) or very low birth weight (VLBW).

Study design

A prospective cohort of 125 infants born in one year after implementation who received probiotics were compared to a retrospective cohort of eligible 126 VP or VLBW infants who did not receive probiotics. The primary outcome of interest was necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Result

The incidence of NEC decreased from 6.3 to 1.6%. After adjusting for multiple variables, there were no significant differences in primary or other outcomes of interest; odds ratio (95% confidence interval) NEC 0.27 (0.05–1.33), death 0.76 (0.26–2.21) and late-onset sepsis 0.54 (0.18–1.63). No adverse effects related to probiotics supplementation were observed.

Conclusion

Although nonsignificant, prophylactic probiotics supplementation in infants born VP or VLBW was associated with reduction of NEC.

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Data availability

The de-identified dataset generated from the study is available on reasonable request and upon approval by the Institutional Review Board of Baylor Scott & White Health.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA

    Arpitha Chiruvolu, Heather Hendrikson, Jordan Reis, Sujata Desai & Mustafa Suterwala

  2. Pediatrix Medical Group of Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA

    Arpitha Chiruvolu, Jordan Reis, Sujata Desai & Mustafa Suterwala

  3. Department of Medical Education, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA

    Arpitha Chiruvolu & Rachael Hanson

  4. Department of Women and Infants, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center—McKinney, McKinney, TX, USA

    Arpitha Chiruvolu, Amy Reedy & Jordan Reis

  5. Aramark Corporation, Houston, TX, USA

    Heather Hendrikson

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Contributions

AC contributed to conceptualization/design, methodology, data curation, formal analysis and drafted the paper. HH and RH contributed to the methodology, data curation, formal analysis and drafted the paper. AR and JR contributed to the methodology, data curation and reviewed the manuscript. SD contributed to the methodology, formal analysis and reviewed the paper. MS contributed to conceptualization/design, methodology and reviewed the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arpitha Chiruvolu.

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Competing interests

AC has received speaking honoraria from Abbott nutrition. The authors declare no competing interests.

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Chiruvolu, A., Hendrikson, H., Hanson, R. et al. Effects of prophylactic probiotics supplementation on infants born very preterm or very low birth weight. J Perinatol 43, 635–641 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01657-w

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