title: Clarithromycin treatment in preterm infants: a pilot study for prevention of feeding intolerance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of oral clarithromycin versus placebo treatment in preventing feeding intolerance in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomised controlled trial in which two groups of preterm infants (birth weight <1500 g) were randomised to clarithromycin (7.5 mg/kg/dose every 12 h) or placebo treatment. During the period, 38 infants, whose parents accepted participation, were enrolled in the study. Feeding intolerance and time to achieve full enteral feeding were considered as primary outcome measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Feeding intolerance was significantly longer in placebo than clarithromycin (p = 0.031). Time to achieve full feeding after beginning the treatment was equal among the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first randomised controlled study of clarithromycin and placebo treatment that compares the improvement of feeding intolerance in VLBW infants. Our findings indicate a dramatic improvement in feeding intolerance after oral clarithromycin treatment. But according to our results, clarithromycin-treated infants were not able to attain full enteral feeding more quickly than placebo. This may be due to prophylactic usage of clarithromycin. Significant differences might have resulted if only infants who had feeding intolerance were recruited.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Teaching Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Tulin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gokmen
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Senol
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bozdag
authors.forename: Serife Suna
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erdeve
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uras
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dilmen
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D010919:Placebos
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010919:Placebos; D017291:Clarithromycin