Evidence · Systematic review or meta-analysis
Effects of prebiotics on sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, mortality, feeding intolerance, time to full enteral feeding, length of hospital stay, and stool frequency in preterm infants: a meta-analysis.
- Allied health
- Enteral feeding
- Infection
- Late-onset sepsis
- Medical
- Necrotising enterocolitis
- Nursing
- Nutrition and gastrointestinal
This paper is from 2019, more than five years ago. Newer evidence may have been published since.
Summary
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 randomised controlled trials (1,322 preterm infants) evaluating prebiotic supplementation. Outcomes included sepsis, necrotising enterocolitis, mortality, feeding intolerance, time to full enteral feeding, length of hospital stay and stool frequency. Prebiotics were associated with reduced sepsis, mortality, length of stay and time to full feeds, with no significant effect on NEC or feeding intolerance. The authors conclude prebiotics appear safe in preterm infants.
Summary written for NICUlearn. Always read the original.
- Licence:
- Open (Creative Commons)
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