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Does the use of glycerin laxatives decrease feeding intolerance in preterm infants?

Vibhuti Shah1, Nevart Chirinian, Shoo Lee

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital; ; Department of Paediatrics and Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto;

Paediatrics & Child Health
|November 2, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Glycerin laxatives may help preterm infants pass meconium and achieve enteral feeding faster, but evidence on preventing feeding intolerance remains inconclusive for premature neonates.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Glycerin laxatives are commonly used in neonates for meconium evacuation and to support enteral feeding.
  • Systematic review of glycerin laxative effectiveness in this population is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of glycerin enemas or suppositories in preventing feeding intolerance.
  • Focus on preterm infants born at or before 32 weeks' gestational age or weighing ≤1500 g.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature search across major databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science).
  • Inclusion of studies assessing glycerin for feeding intolerance in the target neonatal group.
  • Quality and evidence level assessment using the AHA's adapted Evidence Evaluation Worksheet.

Main Results:

  • Two studies were included, examining meconium evacuation and feeding intolerance.
  • One study found no significant difference in meconium passage or time to full enteral feeds.
  • The other study indicated shorter times to meconium passage and full enteral feeding, with reduced sepsis rates in the glycerin enema group.

Conclusions:

  • Current evidence on the effectiveness of glycerin laxatives for improving feeding tolerance in preterm infants (≤32 weeks GA or ≤1500 g) is inconclusive.
  • Further research is needed to definitively establish the role of glycerin in neonatal feeding protocols.
Abstract

Keywords:
Feeding toleranceGlycerin enemaGlycerin suppositoryGlycerolNewborn infant

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