Lactulose Supplementation in Premature Infants

Summary

A pilot study to test the safety of use of lactulose in preterm infants and to preliminary assess the hypothesis that lactulose would support the early growth of Lactobacilli in the stools of premature infants and possibly would also improve nutritional status and decrease NEC and late-onset sepsis.

Timeline

Start

2005-02

Primary completion

2006-08

Completion

2007-01

Publications

• Background Rotimi VO, Duerden BI. The development of the bacterial flora in normal neonates. J Med Microbiol. 1981 Feb;14(1):51-62. doi: 10.1099/00222615-14-1-51.
• Background Orrhage K, Nord CE. Factors controlling the bacterial colonization of the intestine in breastfed infants. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1999 Aug;88(430):47-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1999.tb01300.x.
• Background Benno Y, Sawada K, Mitsuoka T. The intestinal microflora of infants: composition of fecal flora in breast-fed and bottle-fed infants. Microbiol Immunol. 1984;28(9):975-86. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1984.tb00754.x.
• Background Guarner F, Malagelada JR. Gut flora in health and disease. Lancet. 2003 Feb 8;361(9356):512-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(03)12489-0.
• Background Vanderhoof JA, Young RJ. Probiotics in pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2002 May;109(5):956-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.109.5.956. No abstract available.
• Background Bennet R, Eriksson M, Nord CE, Zetterstrom R. Fecal bacterial microflora of newborn infants during intensive care management and treatment with five antibiotic regimens. Pediatr Infect Dis. 1986 Sep-Oct;5(5):533-9. doi: 10.1097/00006454-198609000-00009.
• Background Hall MA, Cole CB, Smith SL, Fuller R, Rolles CJ. Factors influencing the presence of faecal lactobacilli in early infancy. Arch Dis Child. 1990 Feb;65(2):185-8. doi: 10.1136/adc.65.2.185.
• Background Sakata H, Yoshioka H, Fujita K. Development of the intestinal flora in very low birth weight infants compared to normal full-term newborns. Eur J Pediatr. 1985 Jul;144(2):186-90. doi: 10.1007/BF00451911.
• Background Caicedo RA, Schanler RJ, Li N, Neu J. The developing intestinal ecosystem: implications for the neonate. Pediatr Res. 2005 Oct;58(4):625-8. doi: 10.1203/01.PDR.0000180533.09295.84.
• Background Gewolb IH, Schwalbe RS, Taciak VL, Harrison TS, Panigrahi P. Stool microflora in extremely low birthweight infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1999 May;80(3):F167-73. doi: 10.1136/fn.80.3.f167.
• Background Gaynes RP, Edwards JR, Jarvis WR, Culver DH, Tolson JS, Martone WJ. Nosocomial infections among neonates in high-risk nurseries in the United States. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System. Pediatrics. 1996 Sep;98(3 Pt 1):357-61.
• Background Millar M, Wilks M, Costeloe K. Probiotics for preterm infants? Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2003 Sep;88(5):F354-8. doi: 10.1136/fn.88.5.f354.
• Background Neu J, Caicedo R. Probiotics: protecting the intestinal ecosystem? J Pediatr. 2005 Aug;147(2):143-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2005.05.033. No abstract available.
• Background Dani C, Biadaioli R, Bertini G, Martelli E, Rubaltelli FF. Probiotics feeding in prevention of urinary tract infection, bacterial sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. A prospective double-blind study. Biol Neonate. 2002 Aug;82(2):103-8. doi: 10.1159/000063096.
• Background Millar MR, Bacon C, Smith SL, Walker V, Hall MA. Enteral feeding of premature infants with Lactobacillus GG. Arch Dis Child. 1993 Nov;69(5 Spec No):483-7. doi: 10.1136/adc.69.5_spec_no.483.
• Background Agarwal R, Sharma N, Chaudhry R, Deorari A, Paul VK, Gewolb IH, Panigrahi P. Effects of oral Lactobacillus GG on enteric microflora in low-birth-weight neonates. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003 Mar;36(3):397-402. doi: 10.1097/00005176-200303000-00019.
• Background Kitajima H, Sumida Y, Tanaka R, Yuki N, Takayama H, Fujimura M. Early administration of Bifidobacterium breve to preterm infants: randomised controlled trial. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1997 Mar;76(2):F101-7. doi: 10.1136/fn.76.2.f101.
• Background Caplan MS, Jilling T. Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: possible role of probiotic supplementation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2000;30 Suppl 2:S18-22. No abstract available.
• Background Costalos C, Skouteri V, Gounaris A, Sevastiadou S, Triandafilidou A, Ekonomidou C, Kontaxaki F, Petrochilou V. Enteral feeding of premature infants with Saccharomyces boulardii. Early Hum Dev. 2003 Nov;74(2):89-96. doi: 10.1016/s0378-3782(03)00090-2.
• Background Hoyos AB. Reduced incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis associated with enteral administration of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium infantis to neonates in an intensive care unit. Int J Infect Dis. 1999 Summer;3(4):197-202. doi: 10.1016/s1201-9712(99)90024-3.
• Background Lin HC, Su BH, Chen AC, Lin TW, Tsai CH, Yeh TF, Oh W. Oral probiotics reduce the incidence and severity of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants. Pediatrics. 2005 Jan;115(1):1-4. doi: 10.1542/peds.2004-1463.
• Background Bin-Nun A, Bromiker R, Wilschanski M, Kaplan M, Rudensky B, Caplan M, Hammerman C. Oral probiotics prevent necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight neonates. J Pediatr. 2005 Aug;147(2):192-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2005.03.054.
• Background Deshpande G, Rao S, Patole S. Probiotics for prevention of necrotising enterocolitis in preterm neonates with very low birthweight: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2007 May 12;369(9573):1614-20. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60748-X.
• Background Salminen S, von Wright A, Morelli L, Marteau P, Brassart D, de Vos WM, Fonden R, Saxelin M, Collins K, Mogensen G, Birkeland SE, Mattila-Sandholm T. Demonstration of safety of probiotics -- a review. Int J Food Microbiol. 1998 Oct 20;44(1-2):93-106. doi: 10.1016/s0168-1605(98)00128-7.
• Background Agostoni C, Axelsson I, Goulet O, Koletzko B, Michaelsen KF, Puntis JW, Rigo J, Shamir R, Szajewska H, Turck D; ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition. Prebiotic oligosaccharides in dietetic products for infants: a commentary by the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2004 Nov;39(5):465-73. doi: 10.1097/00005176-200411000-00003.
• Background Gibson GR, Roberfroid MB. Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: introducing the concept of prebiotics. J Nutr. 1995 Jun;125(6):1401-12. doi: 10.1093/jn/125.6.1401.
• Background Macfarlane S, Macfarlane GT, Cummings JH. Review article: prebiotics in the gastrointestinal tract. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Sep 1;24(5):701-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03042.x.
• Background Moro G, Minoli I, Mosca M, Fanaro S, Jelinek J, Stahl B, Boehm G. Dosage-related bifidogenic effects of galacto- and fructooligosaccharides in formula-fed term infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2002 Mar;34(3):291-5. doi: 10.1097/00005176-200203000-00014.
• Background Boehm G, Lidestri M, Casetta P, Jelinek J, Negretti F, Stahl B, Marini A. Supplementation of a bovine milk formula with an oligosaccharide mixture increases counts of faecal bifidobacteria in preterm infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2002 May;86(3):F178-81. doi: 10.1136/fn.86.3.f178.
• Background Lidestri M, Agosti M, Marini A, Boehm G. Oligosaccharides might stimulate calcium absorption in formula-fed preterm infants. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 2003 Sep;91(441):91-2. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2003.tb00654.x.
• Background Knol J, Scholtens P, Kafka C, Steenbakkers J, Gro S, Helm K, Klarczyk M, Schopfer H, Bockler HM, Wells J. Colon microflora in infants fed formula with galacto- and fructo-oligosaccharides: more like breast-fed infants. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2005 Jan;40(1):36-42. doi: 10.1097/00005176-200501000-00007.
• Background Mihatsch WA, Hoegel J, Pohlandt F. Prebiotic oligosaccharides reduce stool viscosity and accelerate gastrointestinal transport in preterm infants. Acta Paediatr. 2006 Jul;95(7):843-8. doi: 10.1080/08035250500486652.
• Background Knol J, Boehm G, Lidestri M, Negretti F, Jelinek J, Agosti M, Stahl B, Marini A, Mosca F. Increase of faecal bifidobacteria due to dietary oligosaccharides induces a reduction of clinically relevant pathogen germs in the faeces of formula-fed preterm infants. Acta Paediatr Suppl. 2005 Oct;94(449):31-3. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb02152.x.
• Background Moro G, Arslanoglu S, Stahl B, Jelinek J, Wahn U, Boehm G. A mixture of prebiotic oligosaccharides reduces the incidence of atopic dermatitis during the first six months of age. Arch Dis Child. 2006 Oct;91(10):814-9. doi: 10.1136/adc.2006.098251. Epub 2006 Jul 27.
• Background Szilagyi A. Redefining lactose as a conditional prebiotic. Can J Gastroenterol. 2004 Mar;18(3):163-7. doi: 10.1155/2004/350732.
• Background Schumann C. Medical, nutritional and technological properties of lactulose. An update. Eur J Nutr. 2002 Nov;41 Suppl 1:I17-25. doi: 10.1007/s00394-002-1103-6.
• Background PETUELY F. [Lactobacillus bifidus flora produced in artificially-fed infants by bifidogenic substances (bifidus factor)]. Z Kinderheilkd. 1957;79(2):174-9. No abstract available. German.
• Background Uhlemann M, Heine W, Mohr C, Plath C, Pap S. [Effects of oral administration of bifidobacteria on intestinal microflora in premature and newborn infants]. Z Geburtshilfe Neonatol. 1999 Sep-Oct;203(5):213-7. German.
• Background MACGILLIVRAY PC, FINLAY HV, BINNS TB. Use of lactulose to create a preponderance of Lactobacilli in the intestine of bottle-fed infants. Scott Med J. 1959 Apr;4(4):182-9. doi: 10.1177/003693305900400405. No abstract available.

Drugs

Indications