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Clarithromycin treatment in preterm infants: a pilot study for prevention of feeding intolerance

Tulin Gokmen1, Ramazan Ozdemir, Senol Bozdag

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Teaching Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.

The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine : the Official Journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians
|April 11, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Oral clarithromycin significantly reduced feeding intolerance in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants compared to placebo. However, it did not speed up achieving full enteral feeding in these preterm infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Trials

Background:

  • Feeding intolerance is a common complication in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, impacting growth and increasing healthcare costs.
  • Early identification and management of feeding intolerance are crucial for improving outcomes in preterm neonates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of oral clarithromycin in preventing feeding intolerance in VLBW infants.
  • To compare the time to achieve full enteral feeding between clarithromycin and placebo groups.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, randomized controlled trial involving 38 preterm infants (birth weight <1500 g).
  • Infants were randomized to receive either oral clarithromycin (7.5 mg/kg/dose every 12 hours) or a placebo.
  • Primary outcome measures included feeding intolerance and time to achieve full enteral feeding.

Main Results:

  • Clarithromycin treatment resulted in a significantly lower incidence of feeding intolerance compared to placebo (p=0.031).
  • There was no significant difference in the time to achieve full enteral feeding between the clarithromycin and placebo groups.

Conclusions:

  • Oral clarithromycin demonstrates potential in improving feeding intolerance in VLBW infants.
  • Further research is needed to optimize clarithromycin's prophylactic use and investigate its impact on enteral feeding progression.
  • Recruiting only infants with established feeding intolerance might yield different results.
Abstract

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