Trial reportJournal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association2013
Randomized controlled trial of prophylactic rectal stimulation and enemas on stooling patterns in extremely low birth weight infants.
Trial report in Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Regular Intestinal Lavage to Promote Enteral Feeding and Prevent Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Extremely Preterm Infants. A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol
The Administration of Saline Enema Versus Glycerin Suppository as a Treatment Intervention for Meconium Obstruction of Prematurity (MOP) and to Study the Impact on the Resolution of MOP, Time to Reach Full Enteral Feeds, Gut Microbiome, and Gut-brain Axis, a Randomised Control Trial.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Glycerin laxatives for prevention or treatment of feeding intolerance in very low birth weight infants.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Breast Milk Enema and Meconium Evacuation Among Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2024Trial
- Lipid enemas for meconium evacuation in preterm infants - a retrospective cohort study.BMC pediatrics · 2021Trial
- Rectal Stimulation in Premature and Full-Term Newborns: A Narrative Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Bowel habits in preterm infants: Observations from the first 2 weeks of life.Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition · 2025Observational
- Article
- Clinical Dilemma Involving Treatments for Very Low-Birth-Weight Infants and the Potential Risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Narrative Literature Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- Interventions for Promoting Meconium Passage in Very Preterm Infants-A Survey of Current Practice at Tertiary Neonatal Centers in Germany.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveWe hypothesized that rectal stimulation and small volume enemas would accelerate normalization of stooling patterns in extremely low birth weight infants. STUDY
designIn a randomized controlled trial, infants with a gestational age 28 weeks received one of the following: twice daily rectal stimulation and/or enemas until two stools were passed daily, without enemas or stimulation, for three consecutive days. Intervention only occurred when symptoms, abdominal distension and no defecation, occurred in the previous 24 h. Enema administration occurred if abdominal distension persisted without defecation occurring after rectal stimulation. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the contribution of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) on normalization of stooling patterns and feeding tolerance.
resultRectal stimulation and/or small volume enemas did not accelerate the median (quartile range) time normalization of stooling patterns, 13 (11-20) days in control group and 16 (12-25.5) days in intervention group. A higher frequency of PDA occurred in the intervention than the non-intervention group. Infants with a persistent PDA had a longer duration of parenteral nutrition, worse feeding tolerance and more days to achieve normal stooling patterns. In multivariable regression analysis, a PDA, not repeated rectal stimulation and/or enemas, was significantly related to stooling and feeding tolerance.
conclusionTwice daily administration of rectal stimulation and/or enemas did not normalize stooling patterns (fecal frequency). A PDA is an important determinant of acquisition of normal stooling patterns and feeding tolerance of very immature newborns.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.