Probiotics for preterm infants: A National Retrospective Cohort Study

Objectiveto evaluate the effect of prophylactic probiotic (pp) administration on rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (nec), late-onset sepsis (los), and mortality in preterm infants.study designwe conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants < 29 weeks’ gestation, admitted to neonatal intensive care units participating in the canadian neonatal network between 1 january 2014 and 31 december 2015. infants in the exposure group received pp. a multiple logistic regression model with generalized estimation equation was used.resultsa total of 3093 infants were included, 652 infants (21%) received pp. the adjusted odds ratios (aor) of nec (aor 0.64, 95% confidence interval [ci] 0.410, 0.996), mortality (aor 0.41, 95% ci 0.26, 0.63), and a composite of nec or mortality were significantly lower in the pp group. there was no significant difference in the aor of los.conclusionprophylactic probiotic administration is associated with a reduction in nec and mortality in preterm infants.