Tag Archives: Probiotics

World NEC awareness day.

As we approach world NEC awareness day (May 17th) I thought I’d do a quick PubMed search to see if I’ve missed anything recently, so I started typing “necrotizing” in the search bar, which immediately suggested “necrotizing enterocolitis” as one … Continue reading

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AAP guidance on probiotics. As wrong-headed as a head can be wrong.

The AAP issued guidance on probiotic use in the preterm infant last year in the form of what they call a “clinical report”, which I didn’t comment on at the time, I thought it might be a bit redundant as … Continue reading

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More musings on the microbiome

We are fortunate in neonatology to not have to worry about C difficile, partly because the name has been changed for this germ as well (now Clostridioides, rather than Clostridium), and it is one less name change to keep up … Continue reading

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Probiotics in preterms; what’s new? Part 2

Rao S, et al. Probiotic supplementation in neonates with congenital gastrointestinal surgical conditions: a pilot randomised controlled trial. Pediatr Res. 2022. When we started using probiotics there had been a couple of case reports of probiotic associated sepsis in infants … Continue reading

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Probiotics in preterms; what’s new? Part 1

I haven’t, surprisingly, posted about probiotics recently, but there are some new findings in the literature that warrant discussion. Granger C, et al. Necrotising enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis and mortality after routine probiotic introduction in the UK. Arch Dis Child Fetal … Continue reading

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More about Prebiotics

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?

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?

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…

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.

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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