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Impact of probiotics on gut microbiome of extremely preterm or extremely low birthweight infants

Lauren C Beck1, Janet E Berrington2,3, Christopher J Stewart1

  • 1Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Pediatric Research
|August 25, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Probiotics reduce necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) risk in preterm infants. This study suggests probiotics also benefit extremely preterm infants by positively impacting their gut microbiome, similar to other preterm infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Microbiome Research
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a significant risk for very preterm/very low birthweight (VP/VLBW) infants.
  • Probiotic administration has shown reduced NEC risk in VP/VLBW populations.
  • Outcomes for extremely preterm/extremely low birthweight (EP/ELBW) infants are less defined, leading to varied clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of the gut microbiome in EP/ELBW infants.
  • To determine if microbiome alterations in EP/ELBW infants are similar to VP/VLBW infants.
  • To support the rationale for probiotic administration in EP/ELBW infants for NEC risk reduction.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gut microbiome data from EP/ELBW infants.
  • Comparison of microbiome profiles between EP/ELBW and VP/VLBW infant cohorts.
  • Review of existing meta-analysis data on probiotic efficacy in VP/VLBW infants.

Main Results:

  • The gut microbiome of EP/ELBW infants shows comparable alterations to those observed in VP/VLBW infants.
  • This similarity suggests a shared underlying mechanism for NEC development influenced by the gut microbiome.

Conclusions:

  • Probiotic administration is likely beneficial for reducing NEC risk in EP/ELBW infants.
  • The microbiome-driven benefits observed in VP/VLBW infants are expected to extend to the EP/ELBW population.
  • Further clinical trials are warranted to confirm probiotic efficacy in EP/ELBW infants.
Abstract

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