ArticleBMC pediatrics2012
Effect of routine probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, use on rates of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates with birthweight < 1000 grams: a sequential analysis.
Article in BMC pediatrics, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 89 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prophylactic Probiotic Supplementation for Preterm Neonates-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nonrandomized Studies.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2021Pooled it
- Probiotic Supplementation During the Perinatal and Infant Period: Effects on Gut Dysbiosis and Disease.Nutrients · 2020Pooled it
- The use of probiotics in pediatric gastroenterology: a review of the literature and recommendations by Latin-American experts.Paediatric drugs · 2015Pooled it
- A meta-analysis of probiotics for preventing necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonates.Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologica · 2014Pooled it
- Effects of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in preterm infants: a double-blinded randomized controlled study.Italian journal of pediatrics · 2019Trial
- Genome characterization and comparative genomics ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2026Article
- The microbiome's hidden influence: preclinical insights into inflammatory responses in necrotizing enterocolitis.Seminars in immunopathology · 2025Review
- Limosilactobacillus reuteri ameliorates maternal separation stress in newborn mice and alters subsequent adult behaviour.Beneficial microbes · 2024Article
- Article
- Probiotic-educated Tregs are more potent than naïve Tregs for immune tolerance in stressed new-born mice.Beneficial microbes · 2023Article
- Review
- Article
- Enteral supplementation with probiotics in preterm infants: A retrospective cohort study and 6-year follow-up.Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Article
- Effects of neonatal nutrition interventions on neonatal mortality and child health and development outcomes: A systematic review.Campbell systematic reviews · 2021Review
- Current and Future Perspectives on the Role of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics in Controlling PathogenicFrontiers in microbiology · 2021Review
- A good start in life is important-perinatal factors dictate early microbiota development and longer term maturation.FEMS microbiology reviews · 2020Review
- Article
- To start or not: Factors to consider when implementing routine probiotic use in the NICU.Early human development · 2019Review
- Article
- Probiotics in Disease Prevention and Treatment.Journal of clinical pharmacology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundNecrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a disease in neonates, often resulting in death or serious medical or neurodevelopmental complications. The rate of NEC is highest in the smallest babies and many efforts have been tried to reduce the rate of NEC. In neonates born below 1500 grams, the rate of NEC has been significantly reduced with the use of various probiotics. This study examines the impact of routine use of a probiotic, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (BioGaia®), on the rate of NEC in neonates at highest risk for developing NEC, those with birth weight ≤1000 grams.
methodsThis is a retrospective cohort study comparing the rates of NEC in neonates with birth weight ≤ 1000 grams. The groups are separated into those neonates born from January 2004 to June 30, 2009, before introduction of L. reuteri , and neonates born July 2009 through April 2011 who received routine L. reuteri prophylaxis. The chart review study was approved by our institutional review board and exempted from informed consent.Neonates were excluded if they died or were transferred within the first week of life. The remainder were categorized as having no NEC, medical NEC, surgical NEC, or NEC associated death. Since no major changes occurred in our NICU practice in recent years, and the introduction of L. reuteri as routine prophylaxis was abrupt, we attributed the post-probiotic changes to the introduction of this new therapy. Rates of NEC were compared using Chi square analysis with Fisher exact t-test.
resultsMedical records for 311 neonates were reviewed, 232 before- and 79 after-introduction of L. reuteri prophylaxis. The incidence of NEC was significantly lower in the neonates who received L. reuteri (2 of 79 neonates [2.5%] versus 35 of 232 untreated neonates [15.1%]). Rates of late-onset gram-negative or fungal infections (22.8 versus 31%) were not statistically different between treated and untreated groups. No adverse events related to use of L reuteri were noted.
conclusionsProphylactic initiation of L. reuteri as a probiotic for prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis resulted in a statistically significant benefit, with avoidance of 1 NEC case for every 8 patients given prophylaxis.
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