title: Does carboxymethylcellulose have a role in reducing time to full enteral feeds in preterm neonates?
abstract: The efficacy of prophylactic carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in reducing the time to reach full enteral feeds (FEFs) in neonates <32 weeks' gestation was studied in a clinical trial. When ready for feeds, enrolled neonates were allocated to either CMC (dose: CMC content of 12 mg oral erythromycin ethyl succinate syrup, 6 hourly) or placebo till either maximum 10 days treatment or FEF (150 ml/kg/day) was reached. A standardised regimen guided enteral feeding. Demographic characteristics of enrolled neonates (CMC, placebo: n = 35) were comparable. Median (interquartile range) gestational age and birth weight were 29 (28, 30) vs. 29 (27, 31) weeks and 1090 (905, 1390) vs. 1236 g (928, 1565) for the CMC and placebo groups, respectively. Median (interquartile range) time to reach FEF was 5 (4, 6) vs. 5 (3, 8) days for CMC and placebo group, respectively (p = 0.5). No CMC-related adverse effects occurred. Prophylactic CMC did not have a significant role in reducing time to reach FEF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. skpatole@hotmail.com
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Patole
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muller
mesh_terms: D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002400:Cathartics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium