Influence of Routine Probiotic Supplementation on the Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Late Onset Sepsis

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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of routine probiotic supple mentation on causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality, such as necrotizing en terocolitis (NEC) and late onset sepsis.Methods: All neonates born at <32 weeks of gestation and weighing <1,500 g admitt ed to the neonatal intensive care unit during the study period were included.The study period was divided into the preprobiotic period, between January 2009 and February 2011, and the probiotic period, between November 2012 and Decem ber 2014.The probiotic given was a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum, L. rhamno sus, Bifidobacterium lactis and B. longum, administered at the time of the first feed ing over 2 mL once daily.Results: A total of 358 infants were screened for enrollment, with 149 infants included in the preprobiotic group (mean birth weight 937 g, mean gestational age 27.9 wk), and 158 in the probiotic group (1,040 g, 28.6 wk).Probiotics had no statistically signi ficant impact on NEC and late onset sepsis.However, three cases of probiotic re lated sepsis occurred after the infants were routinely administered probiotics in our unit.Conclusion: Routine probiotic supplementation did not reduce the incidence of NEC in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.However, severe sepsis was caused by strains in the probiotic administered to patients.Therefore, routine prophylactic use of probiotic in VLBW infants should be performed cautiously.