Related Experiment Videos
Prevention of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|October 1, 1990
Summary
Acidifying infant feedings lowered stomach pH, reducing enteric bacteria. This significantly decreased the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants, promoting healthy growth.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Premature infants often have low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria).
- Stomach colonization by enteric bacteria is common in these infants.
- Bacterial colonization is linked to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if gastric pH influences enteric bacterial colonization.
- To determine if this colonization is linked to NEC risk or severity.
- To evaluate the effect of acidified feedings on NEC incidence.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, double-blind study comparing HCl-supplemented to water-supplemented feedings.
- Monitoring of gastric pH, bacterial counts, and NEC incidence/severity.
- Comparison of somatic growth rates between groups.
Main Results:
- HCl-supplemented group had lower median gastric pH (3.0 vs. 4.0).
- Lower gastric pH correlated with reduced bacterial colonization (p < 0.001).
- Significantly fewer NEC cases in the HCl group (1/34) vs. controls (8/34, p = 0.02).
Conclusions:
- Acidifying feedings to inhibit bacterial growth is effective.
- Lowering gastric pH significantly reduces NEC risk in premature infants.
- Acidification did not impede somatic growth in the studied infants.