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State of the Art of Probiotic Use in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in French-Speaking European Countries

Amélie Blanchetière1, Charles Dolladille2, Isabelle Goyer3

  • 1Department of Neonatology, University Hospital of Caen, 14000 Caen, France.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 23, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Probiotic use in European neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is low and inconsistent. Key barriers include lack of recommendations, unclear strain selection, and safety concerns, necessitating further research for optimal preterm infant care.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

  • Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a significant concern in preterm infants.
  • Probiotics show promise in reducing NEC incidence, but their routine use in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) is debated.
  • Evidence supporting probiotic efficacy necessitates understanding current clinical practice and barriers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the rate of probiotic use in European NICUs.
  • To compare current probiotic administration protocols.
  • To identify barriers and concerns hindering widespread probiotic adoption.

Main Methods:

  • An online survey was emailed to European NICUs from October 2020 to June 2021.
  • The survey collected data on probiotic usage frequency, administration protocols, and reasons for non-utilization.
  • Response rates from France (85%) and Switzerland (89%) were notably high.

Main Results:

  • Routine probiotic use varied significantly, with 21% in French NICUs and 100% in Swiss NICUs reporting regular administration.
  • Substantial heterogeneity was observed in probiotic strains, administration methods, and treatment durations.
  • Primary obstacles included absence of official recommendations, lack of consensus on strain selection, and concerns about safety and evidence.

Conclusions:

  • Routine probiotic administration in European NICUs is currently low and characterized by protocol variability.
  • Further clinical trials are essential to establish optimal probiotic treatment strategies and confirm safety for preterm infants.
  • Addressing identified barriers is crucial for increasing consistent and evidence-based probiotic use.

Keywords:
microbiotanecrotizing enterocolitisneonatal intensive care unitneonatal morbidityneonatal sepsisnewbornpreterm infantprobiotics

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