Intestinal microbiota in allergic and nonallergic 1-year-old very low birth weight infants after neonatal glutamine supplementation.
OBJECTIVE
Previously, glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition in very low birth weight infants (VLBW) decreased the incidence of atopic dermatitis at age 1 year. The aim of this study was to determine whether this effect is related to changes in intestinal bacterial species that are associated with allergy, such as bifidobacteria, clostridium histolyticum, clostridium lituseburense (Chis/lit group) and Escherichia coli at age 1 year.


METHODS
Eighty-nine infants were eligible for this follow-up study, conducted at a Tertiary care hospital. Bifidobacteria, Chis/lit group and E. coli were measured by fluorescent in situ hybridization in faecal samples collected at age 1 year. Information on allergic and infectious diseases was previously determined by questionnaire.


RESULTS
Seventy-two of 89 (81%) infants were participated. Prevalence of all studied species was not different between glutamine-supplemented and control groups. Allergic infants were less frequently colonized with bifidobacteria than nonallergic infants (p =0.04). Between neonatal period and 1 year, prevalence of bifidobacteria was increased (p < 0.001), of Chis/lit group was unchanged (p=0.84), and of E. coli was decreased (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The beneficial effect of glutamine-enriched enteral nutrition on the incidence of atopic dermatitis in the first year of life in VLBW infants is not related to changes in bifidobacteria, Chis/lit group or E. coli. Allergic VLBW infants are less frequently colonized with bifidobacteria compared to nonallergic VLBW infants.
Van Zwol
A
A
Department of Pediatrics, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Van Den Berg
A
A
Knol
J
J
Twisk
J W R
JW
Fetter
W P F
WP
Van Elburg
R M
RM
D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003013:Clostridium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D047009:Hathewaya histolytica / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D054892:Metagenome; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D005973:Glutamine