| Study characteristics |
| Methods |
Quasi‐RCT |
| Participants |
19 preterm infants (most very preterm or VLBW) |
| Interventions |
Probiotics group (N = 11): Bifidobacterium breve 2 times daily with human milk or formula feeds until hospital discharge
Control (N = 8): unsupplemented milk feeds |
| Outcomes |
|
| Notes |
Japan (2000 to 2002)
Published: 2004
Funding: Morinaja Milk industry and Meiji Dairies (manufactured intervention) |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Not described |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Unmasked |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Complete |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Unclear |
