Highlights from this issue

Probiotics and the microbiome Paul Fleming addresses the question of whether it is time for neonatal units to provide probiotics routinely in the care of preterm infants. This editorial was commissioned in relation to a single centre report of outcomes before and after implementation of probiotics in Newcastle (UK) by Claire Granger and colleagues. Probiotics were implemented in Newcastle in January 2013, initially with a dual strain (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum) and later with a triple strain preparation (L. acidophilus, B. bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum spp infantis) from August 2016. Outcomes were compared for infants born <32 weeks gestation before and after implementation. There were around 500 infants eligible for inclusion in each period. Granger and colleagues observed no significant change in necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), late onset sepsis or death between the two periods. In a sub-group analysis by gestation, there was a reduction in the OR...
Source: Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: Fantoms Source Type: research