Oral vancomycin in prevention of necrotising enterocolitis

Eighty four very low birthweight babies (considered high risk for developing necrotising enterocolitis) were given vancomycin orally for 48 hours before introduction of oral feeds; one developed necrotising enterocolitis. One hundred and twenty very low birthweight babies (not considered such high risk) were fed without first receiving vancomycin; 17 developed necrotising enterocolitis. Although this was not a randomised control trial, results indicate a role for vancomycin in prophylaxis of necrotising enterocolitis.