Evidence · Systematic review or meta-analysis
Prophylactic lactoferrin for preventing late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Enteral feeding
- Infection
- Late-onset sepsis
- Medical
- Necrotising enterocolitis
- Nursing
- Nutrition and gastrointestinal
This paper is from 2018, more than five years ago. Newer evidence may have been published since.
Summary
This PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 9 randomised controlled trials (1834 preterm infants) assessing prophylactic lactoferrin to prevent late-onset sepsis and necrotising enterocolitis. Trials published in English and Chinese were identified from Western and Chinese databases. The authors concluded that lactoferrin reduced culture-proven late-onset sepsis, NEC, hospital-acquired infection and infection-related mortality without obvious adverse effects. Findings predate larger trials such as ELFIN, so should be interpreted in that context.
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- Open (Creative Commons)
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