Table I.
Clinical characteristics of mothers, pregnancies, and infants in the 3 study groups
| Group | Prebiotic (n = 23) | Probiotic (n = 21) | Placebo (n = 24) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical characteristics of mothers and pregnancies | ||||
| Primipara | 17 (73.9%) | 14 (66.7%) | 13 (54.2%) | .358 |
| Gestational diabetes mellitus | 4 (17.4%) | 2 (9.5%) | 1 (4.2%) | .326 |
| Twins | 10 (43.5%) | 4 (19.0%) | 10 (41.7%) | .171 |
| Antenatal corticosteroids (yes) | 18 (78.3%) | 9 (42.9%) | 9 (37.5%) | .011 |
| Maternal antibiotics during delivery (yes) | 4 (17.4%) | 9 (42.9%) | 7 (29.2%) | .142 |
| Duration of gestation (wk) | 33.9 (1.3) | 34.6 (0.9) | 34.9 (1.1) | .008 |
| Cesarean delivery (yes) | 9 (39.1%) | 4 (19.0%) | 10 (41.7%) | .223 |
| Clinical characteristics of infants | ||||
| Sex (male) | 11 (47.8%) | 14 (66.7%) | 19 (79.2%) | .078 |
| Birth weight (g) | 2123 (390) | 2511 (401) | 2412 (484) | .010 |
| Birth weight <10th percentile (yes) | 4 (17.4%) | 2 (9.5%) | 5 (20.8%) | .579 |
| Birth length (cm) | 45.5 (2.2) | 47.0 (2.0) | 46.3 (3.0) | .136 |
| Head circumference at birth (cm) | 31.4 (1.2) | 32.4 (1.3) | 32.5 (1.3) | .009 |
| 5-min Apgar score | 8 (1) | 8 (1) | 8 (2) | .925 |
| Need of NICU care | 19 (82.6%) | 17 (81.0%) | 17 (70.8%) | .575 |
| No. of days treated in NICU | 14 (10) | 8 (4) | 13 (8) | .034 |
| Need of mechanical ventilation (yes) | 2 (8.7%) | 4 (19.0%) | 2 (8.3%) | .460 |
| Surfactant treatment (yes) | 1 (4.3%) | 2 (9.5%) | 1 (4.2%) | .695 |
| Need of postnatal antibiotic treatment | 14 (60.9%) | 15 (71.4%) | 15 (62.5%) | .735 |
| No. of postnatal days with antibiotics | 2.4 (2.7) | 2.3 (2.2) | 1.7 (1.9) | .492 |
| Hyperbilirubinemia | 13 (56.5%) | 9 (42.9%) | 12 (50%) | .664 |
| Older siblings at home (yes) | 6 (26.1%) | 7 (33.3%) | 11 (45.8%) | .358 |
| Exclusively breast-fed (mo) | 1.1 (1.7) | 1.7 (2.2) | 2.0 (2.2) | .335 |
| Total duration of breast-feeding (mo) | 5.4 (3.4) | 7.2 (4.4) | 5.7 (4.5) | .321 |
| Day care at age 12 mo | 3 (13.0%) | 2 (9.5%) | 2 (8.3%) | .742 |
| Weight (g) at age of 12 mo | 9374 (2342) | 9717 (1415) | 10107 (1633) | .415 |
| Length (cm) at age of 12 mo | 75.4 (2.3) | 75.4 (3.3) | 75.9 (2.7) | .773 |
| Head circumference (cm) at age of 12 mo | 46.4 (1.3) | 46.4 (1.6) | 47.1 (1.7) | .237 |
| No. of antibiotic courses prescribed during the first 12 mo∗ | 0.3 (0.8) | 0.1 (0.5) | 0.8 (1.7) | .241 |
Results are given as numbers (percentages) of subjects or as means (SDs). The variables were analyzed by using the χ2 test and Fisher exact test for dichotomous variables and ANOVA or the Kruskall-Wallis test for continuous variables.
NICU, Neonatal intensive care unit.
∗
Data from parents.