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Intestinal microbiota in allergic and nonallergic 1-year-old very low birth weight infants after neonatal glutamine

A Van Zwol1, A Van Den Berg, J Knol

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|July 15, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Glutamine-enriched nutrition did not alter gut bacteria linked to allergies in very low birth weight infants. However, allergic infants showed lower bifidobacteria colonization, suggesting a potential link to atopic dermatitis development.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal nutrition and immunology
  • Microbiome research
  • Allergy development in infants

Background:

  • Previous studies indicated glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition reduces atopic dermatitis in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
  • The underlying mechanisms, particularly shifts in intestinal microbiota associated with allergies, remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if glutamine supplementation influences specific intestinal bacterial species (Bifidobacteria, Clostridium histolyticum/lituseburense group, Escherichia coli) at one year of age.
  • To determine the relationship between these bacterial changes and the incidence of atopic dermatitis in VLBW infants.

Main Methods:

  • A follow-up study involving 89 VLBW infants, with 72 participating at one year.
  • Faecal samples analyzed for Bifidobacteria, Clostridium histolyticum/lituseburense (Chis/lit) group, and E. coli using fluorescent in situ hybridization.
  • Allergic and infectious disease data collected via questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in the prevalence of studied bacterial species were found between glutamine-supplemented and control groups.
  • Allergic infants exhibited lower colonization rates of Bifidobacteria compared to non-allergic infants (p=0.04).
  • Over the first year, Bifidobacteria prevalence increased (p<0.001), Chis/lit group remained stable (p=0.84), and E. coli decreased (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

  • The protective effect of glutamine-enriched nutrition against atopic dermatitis in VLBW infants is not mediated by alterations in Bifidobacteria, Chis/lit group, or E. coli.
  • Lower Bifidobacteria colonization is associated with allergic VLBW infants, suggesting a potential role in allergy development.
Abstract

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