Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers
09:36

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers

Published on: July 28, 2022

Saccharomyces boulardii for prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants: a randomized, controlled

Gamze Demirel1, Omer Erdeve, Istemi Han Celik

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Samsun Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Samsun, Turkey. kgamze@hotmail.com.

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|September 14, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) supplementation did not reduce necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or death in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants. However, this probiotic improved feeding tolerance and decreased clinical sepsis risk.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal disease affecting premature infants.
  • Probiotics, such as Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii), are explored for preventing NEC in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the efficacy of oral S. boulardii in reducing NEC incidence and severity.
  • To evaluate the impact of S. boulardii on mortality, feeding intolerance, and sepsis in VLBW infants.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, randomized controlled trial involved VLBW infants (gestational age ≤32 weeks, birth weight ≤1500 g).
  • Infants received either S. boulardii supplementation or a placebo.
  • Primary outcomes included death or NEC (Bell's stage ≥2); secondary outcomes were feeding intolerance and sepsis.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference in death or NEC incidence between the S. boulardii group (n=135) and the control group (n=136).
  • Feeding intolerance was significantly lower in the probiotic group.
  • Clinical sepsis incidence was significantly reduced in infants receiving S. boulardii.

Conclusions:

  • Oral S. boulardii at 250 mg/day did not prevent NEC or reduce mortality in VLBW infants.
  • S. boulardii supplementation demonstrated benefits in improving feeding tolerance.
  • The probiotic intervention was associated with a reduced risk of clinical sepsis in this vulnerable population.
Abstract

Keywords:
Feeding intoleranceNecrotizing enterocolitisProbioticSaccharomyces boulardiiVery low-birth-weight infants

More Related Videos

A Neonatal BALB/c Mouse Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis05:39

A Neonatal BALB/c Mouse Model of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Published on: November 30, 2021

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation09:02

Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation

Published on: February 15, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...