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Probiotics for preterm infants: A National Retrospective Cohort Study
Balpreet Singh1, Prakesh S Shah2,3, Jehier Afifi4
1Department of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. balpreet.singh@iwk.nshealth.ca.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of prophylactic probiotic (PP) administration on rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), late-onset sepsis (LOS), and mortality in preterm infants.
Study Design:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants < 29 weeks' gestation, admitted to neonatal intensive care units participating in the Canadian Neonatal Network between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2015. Infants in the exposure group received PP. A multiple logistic regression model with generalized estimation equation was used.
Results:
A total of 3093 infants were included, 652 infants (21%) received PP. The adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of NEC (aOR 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.410, 0.996), mortality (aOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.26, 0.63), and a composite of NEC or mortality were significantly lower in the PP group. There was no significant difference in the aOR of LOS.
Conclusion:
Prophylactic probiotic administration is associated with a reduction in NEC and mortality in preterm infants.
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