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Efficacy of prophylactic oral erythromycin to improve enteral feeding tolerance in preterm infants: a randomised

M Mohammadizadeh1, M Ghazinour, R Iranpour

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Sofe Bolvar, Isfahan 8174675731, Iran. m_mohammadizadeh@med.mui.ac.ir

Singapore Medical Journal
|January 12, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Prophylactic low-dose oral erythromycin (a motilin agonist) significantly reduced the time to full enteral feeding in preterm infants. This intervention also decreased feeding interruptions and intolerance symptoms, showing promising results for improving infant nutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Enteral feeding intolerance is a significant challenge in the care of preterm infants.
  • Erythromycin, a motilin agonist, is explored as a prokinetic agent to mitigate feeding intolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of prophylactic low-dose oral erythromycin in preterm infants.
  • To determine if erythromycin reduces the incidence of enteral feeding intolerance.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective randomized controlled trial involving 70 preterm infants (28-34 weeks gestation, 1000-1500g).
  • Infants received either low-dose oral erythromycin (6 mg/kg/day for 10 days) or a placebo.
  • Primary outcomes measured were time to full enteral feeding and duration of feeding interruptions.

Main Results:

  • Erythromycin group reached full enteral feeding significantly faster (10.11 vs. 12.71 days, p=0.01).
  • The control group experienced longer feeding interruptions (84.00 vs. 32.57 hours, p=0.005) and more abdominal distention.
  • No cardiac arrhythmias or pyloric stenosis were observed in the erythromycin group.

Conclusions:

  • Prophylactic low-dose oral erythromycin appears safe and effective in improving enteral feeding tolerance in preterm infants.
  • Further studies are recommended to confirm the efficacy and safety profile of erythromycin in this population.
Abstract

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