Table 2.
Summary of 23 randomized controlled trials of probiotics on the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis
| Ref. | Yr | GA | BW | N | Study |
NEC ≥ stage II, % |
Mortality, % |
LOS, % |
||||||
| Study | Control | P < 0.05 | Study | Control | P < 0.05 | Study | Control | P < 0.05 | ||||||
| Shashidhar et al[25] | 2017 | - | 750-1499 | 104 | L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, B. longum and S. boulardii | 4.1 | 12.5 | No | 1.9 | 5.7 | No | - | - | - |
| Güney-Varal et al[26] | 2017 | ≤ 32 | ≤ 1500 | 110 | L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. plantorum and B. animalis | 0 | 10 | Yes | 1.4 | 22.5 | Yes | 17.1 | 35 | No |
| Xu et al[27] | 2016 | 30-37 | 1500-2500 | 125 | S. boulardii | 0 | 0 | No | - | - | - | 7.8 | 12.2 | No |
| Hays et al[28] | 2016 | 25-31 | 700-1600 | 199 | B. lactis, B. longum, B. lactis and B. longum. | 5.5 | 5.8 | No | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Costeloe et al[29] | 2016 | 23-30 | - | 1310 | B. breve | 9.4 | 10.0 | No | 8.3 | 8.5 | No | 11.2 | 11.7 | No |
| Patole et al[30] | 2014 | < 33 | - | 159 | B. breve | 0 | 1.3 | No | 0 | 0 | No | 22 | 16 | No |
| Totsu et al[31] | 2014 | - | < 1500 | 283 | B. bifidum | 0 | 0 | No | 1.3 | 0 | No | 8.5 | 13.1 | No |
| Benor et al[32] | 2014 | - | ≤ 1500 | 58 | L. acidophilus and B. lactis | 4 | 18.2 | No | 1 | 2 | NO | 24 | 18 | No |
| Oncel et al[33] | 2014 | ≤ 32 | ≤ 1500 | 454 | L. reuteri | 4.0 | 5.0 | No | 7.5 | 10 | No | 6.5 | 12.5 | Yes |
| Jacobs et al[34] | 2013 | < 32 | < 1500 | 1099 | B. infantis, S. thermophilus, and B. lactis | 2.0 | 4.4 | Yes | 4.9 | 5.1 | No | 14.2 | 16.5 | No |
| Serce et al[35] | 2013 | ≤ 32 | ≤ 1500 | 208 | S. boulardii | 6.7 | 6.7 | No | 3.8 | 4.8 | No | 24.3 | 18.3 | No |
| Fernández-Carrocera et al[36] | 2013 | - | < 1500 | 150 | L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. casei, L. plantarum, B. infantis and S. thermophillus | 8.0 | 16.0 | No | 1.3 | 9.3 | No | - | - | - |
| Demirel et al[37] | 2013 | ≤ 32 | ≤ 1500 | 271 | S. boulardii | 4.4 | 5.1 | No | 3.7 | 3.6 | No | 14.9 | 15.4 | No |
| Rojas et al[38] | 2012 | ≤ 2000 | 750 | L. reuteri | 2.4 | 4.0 | No | 5.9 | 7.4 | No | 9.1 | 10.6 | No | |
| Al-Hosni et al[39] | 2012 | - | 501-1000 | 101 | L. rhamnosus and B. infantis | 6.0 | 7.8 | No | 6 | 7.8 | No | 26.0 | 31.4 | No |
| Braga et al[40] | 2011 | - | 750-1499 | 231 | B. breve and L. casei | 0 | 3.6 | Yes | 21.8 | 24.1 | No | 33.6 | 37.5 | No |
| Sari et al[41] | 2011 | < 33 | < 1500 | 221 | L. sporogenes | 6.5 | 9 | No | 2.7 | 3.6 | No | 26.4 | 23.4 | No |
| Mihatsch et al[18] | 2010 | < 30 | < 1500 | 183 | B. lactis | 2.2 | 4.5 | No | 2.2 | 1.1 | No | - | - | - |
| Samanta et al[42] | 2009 | < 32 | < 1500 | 274 | B. infantis, B. bifidum, B. longum and L. acidophilus | 5.5 | 15.8 | Yes | 4.4 | 14.7 | Yes | 14.3 | 19.5 | Yes |
| Lin et al[43] | 2008 | < 34 | < 1500 | 434 | B. bifidum and L. acidophilus | 1.8 | 6.5 | Yes | 0.9 | 4.1 | No | 19.8 | 11.5 | No |
| Lin et al[44] | 2005 | - | < 1500 | 367 | L. acidophilus and B. infantis | 1.1 | 5.3 | Yes | 3.9 | 10.7 | Yes | 12.3 | 19.3 | Yes |
| Bin-Nun et al[45] | 2005 | - | ≤ 1500 | 145 | B. infantis, S. thermophilus, and B. bifidus | 4 | 16.4 | Yes | 0 | 20.5 | Yes | - | - | - |
| Dani et al[46] | 2002 | < 33 | < 1500 | 585 | L. rhamnosus | 1.4 | 2.8 | No | - | - | - | 4.7 | 4.1 | No |
BW: Birth weight; LOS: Late onset sepsis; NEC: Necrotizing enterocolitis.