Tag Archives: Probiotics

More about Prebiotics

Posted on 6 January 2021 by keithbarrington

I don’t know if there is an “official” definition of prebiotics, but I think of them as molecules present in the diet that promote the growth of probiotic organisms. I believe that originally the term was applied only to molecules … Continue reading →

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Probiotics and NEC, the latest answer?

Posted on 30 October 2020 by keithbarrington

The updated Cochrane review of probiotics for prevention of NEC, sepsis and mortality has been published. Meta-analysis showed that probiotics may reduce the risk of NEC: RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.65 (54 trials, 10,604 infants; I2 = 17%); … Continue reading →

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Probiotics: are they cost effective?

Posted on 28 August 2020 by keithbarrington

Like almost any intervention in the NICU (even maternal breast milk requires pumps and equipment, and kangaroo care requires chairs) there is some cost associated with routine probiotic administration. A new publication attempts to calculate the cost-effectiveness relationship. (Craighead AF, … Continue reading →

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Probiotics, can’t get enough…

Posted on 27 August 2020 by keithbarrington

All probiotics are not equal. I think it is clear, for example, that the probiotic fungi (Saccharomyces) studied in 2 small trials had no impact on NEC. In addition one of the largest and best trials (PiPS) from the UK … Continue reading →

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Probiotics save the lives of preterm infants. Find a reliable source.

Posted on 24 August 2020 by keithbarrington

The American Gastroenterological Association has recently published its guidance about probiotics for various conditions. They found little evidence of benefit for most indications with the probable exception of preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The 8th indication that they reviewed was the prevention … Continue reading →

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Do Probiotics work in the UK?

Posted on 27 January 2020 by keithbarrington

Seems like a dumb question I know, if they work in one country, surely they should work everywhere? It is sometimes difficult, however, to institute change based on studies that are done elsewhere, usually because there is an idea, or … Continue reading →

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Prebiotics and preterms and probiotics.

Posted on 25 October 2018 by keithbarrington

A selection of recent publications, regarding the issues in the title, that I find interesting and which seem to tell a consistent story. From Nick Embleton’s group the following interesting study (Stewart CJ, et al. Longitudinal development of the gut … Continue reading →

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Probiotics for extremely preterm infants

Posted on 25 May 2017 by keithbarrington

The use of probiotics for Necrotising enterocolitis prophylaxis in the very preterm is increasing across Canada. There are apparently, though, centers that will only give them to larger preterm infants, and not to the most immature. I think that is … Continue reading →

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Necrotizing Enterocolitis: manipulating the microbiome, part 3

Posted on 9 May 2016 by keithbarrington

Abdulkadir B, et al. Stool bacterial load in preterm infants with necrotising enterocolitis. Early Hum Dev. 2016;95:1-2.  More work from the Newcastle group, this time the group decided not to look at the proportion of different bugs in the stools, … Continue reading →

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Prebiotics, Probiotics and the microbiome

Posted on 2 October 2015 by keithbarrington

A series of interesting recent articles: Yang J, et al. Application of Laser Capture Microdissection and 16S rRNA Gene Polymerase Chain Reaction in the Analysis of Bacteria Colonizing the Intestinal Tissue of Neonates With Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Pediatr Infect Dis J. … Continue reading →

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