Impact of Probiotics on Gut Health in Pre-Term Infants

Overview of Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC)

A recent study conducted in the U.K. has explored the effects of probiotics on the gut health of pre-term infants. Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious gut condition that primarily affects preterm babies, characterized by severe inflammation of the intestines and posing a significant risk to their health.

Study Details

Researchers at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital published their findings in the British Medical Journal. The study compared the incidence of NEC, late-onset sepsis, and mortality rates before and after the introduction of routine daily multi-strain probiotics to high-risk pre-term infants. The study included 469 preterm infants who did not receive probiotics and 513 infants who were given probiotics.

Findings on NEC Incidence

The results revealed that NEC occurred in 7.5% of the infants not given probiotics, whereas the incidence dropped to 3.1% in the group that received probiotics. Notably, these outcomes were consistent regardless of other factors, including the consumption of breast milk.

Reduction in Late-Onset Sepsis

In addition to the decline in NEC rates, the study indicated a reduction in late-onset sepsis from 22.6% to 11.5%. Importantly, there were no reported cases of sepsis linked to the lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains used in the probiotics. This suggests that these probiotics not only lower the risk of NEC but also do not contribute to sepsis or present additional safety concerns.

Observational Nature of the Study

While the study demonstrates a correlation between the administration of these multispecies probiotics and a reduction in NEC rates, it is crucial to note that the findings are observational. The researchers caution against concluding definitively that probiotics were the direct cause of the reduced NEC rates.

Future Research Directions

Despite the promising results, further research is needed to substantiate the findings and evaluate the efficacy of probiotics in decreasing NEC rates among preterm infants.

References

Robertson, C. et al. 2019. Incidence of necrotising enterocolitis before and after introducing routine prophylactic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotics. BMJ Journals. [Online]. [16 December 2019].
Eurekalert. 2019. Giving billions of live bacteria to boost the gut health of premature babies. [Online]. [16 December 2019]. Available from: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-11/uoea-gbo110719.php

Image by Christian Abella from Pixabay.