Effect of Bifidobacterium breve M-16V supplementation on faecal bifidobacteria in growth restricted very preterm infants – analysis from a randomised trial. (1st December 2016) - Patole, Sanjay K.
Abstract: Background : Gut development, function and colonisation are impaired in animal models of prematurity with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The effect of Bifidobacterium breve ( B. breve ) supplementation on faecal bifidobacteria in small for gestational age (SGA: birth weight <10th centile due to IUGR) preterm infants is not known. Objective : We compared B. breve M-16V supplementation effect on faecal bifidobacteria in preterm (<33 weeks) SGA versus non-SGA infants in the two arms of our randomised controlled trial. Results : There were no baseline differences in the proportion of detectable B. breve counts between SGA versus non-SGA infants [probiotic: 7 (33%) versus 22 (42%), p = 0.603; placebo: 1 (6%) versus 1 (2%), p = 0.429]. B. breve counts did not differ between SGA and non-SGA infants in response to treatment ( p = 0.589), after adjusting for baseline count ( p < 0.001) and treatment allocation ( p < 0.001). An interaction term between growth status and treatment showed negligible change ( p = 0.938). Probiotic treated SGA infants reached full feeds earlier than SGA controls (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.05–3.82, p = 0.035): Median (IQR): 16 (12–26) versus 19 (11–25) days, after adjustment for age at starting feeds and gestation <28 weeks. Conclusion : Response to B. breve M-16V supplementation was not significantly different in preterm (<33 weeks) SGA versus non-SGA infants.