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[Human colostrum in the prevention of diarrhea and necrotizing enterocolitis]
Insights
Human colostrum may reduce diarrhea and necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. Further research is recommended on its use in high-risk newborns to prevent gastrointestinal issues.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nutrition
- Pediatric gastroenterology
- Immunology
Context:
- Premature newborns are at high risk for gastrointestinal complications like diarrhea and necrotizing enterocolitis.
- Human colostrum, rich in immune factors and nutrients, is being investigated as a protective agent.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy of human colostrum in preventing diarrhea and necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants.
- To assess the benefits of human colostrum in managing existing gastroenteritis.
Summary:
- A study involving 71 premature newborns compared outcomes between groups receiving human colostrum and cow's milk-based formulas.
- While not statistically significant in healthy infants, human colostrum administration showed a trend towards reduced diarrhea and enterocolitis.
- In infants with diarrhea, those receiving human colostrum had lower rates of enterocolitis and sepsis compared to controls.
Impact:
- Human colostrum supplementation is suggested for high-risk infants to decrease the incidence of diarrhea and necrotizing enterocolitis.
- Recommendations are provided for the optimal procurement and storage of human colostrum for clinical use.
Abstract:
The effect of human colostrum in the prevention of diarrhea and necrotizing enterocolitis, as well as the advantages of its use in gastroenteritis, was studied in 71 premature newborns. The frequency of diarrhea and enterocolitis in 16 healthy newborns who were given human colostrum (group II), was less than in the 22 healthy newborns who received only cows milk (group I), but without statistical significance. In 25 infants with diarrhea who were given human colostrum, the frequency of enterocolitis and sepsis (group IV) was less than in the 8 infants with diarrhea who didn't receive human colostrum (group III). At the end we suggest that human colostrum should be given in high risk infants in order to decrease the frequency of diarrhea and enterocolitis and we also make some recommendation as to how to obtain and store human colostrum.