Suman Chirla, V.V.S.P. Kumar Appasani
BACKGROUND Necrotizing Entero-Colitis (NEC) is the most commonly acquired intra-abdominal emergency and causes significant mortality and morbidity. A proposed strategy for the prevention of NEC, is the administration of oral probiotics. Probiotics have been shown to reduce NEC in experimental rat models and have been used in clinical trials. We evaluated the role of probiotics in reducing the incidence and severity of NEC in preterm neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS A prospective randomized control trial was done in preterm neonates <34 weeks of gestation. They were divided into two groups. The newborns in the test group were fed with a probiotic with breast milk twice daily. The newborns in the control group were fed with breast milk alone. The incidence and severity of NEC were studied in both test and control group. RESULTS Two-hundred preterm neonates were enrolled in our study. 100 newborns in the test group and 100 newborns in the control group. The incidence of NEC was significantly lower in the test group (2 of 100 vs. 10 of 100). The incidence of NEC >/= 2nd stage was significantly lower in the test group than in the control group (0 of 100 vs. 7 of 100). CONCLUSION Probiotics fed along with breast milk reduced both the incidence and severity of NEC in preterm newborns.
