The Role of Immunonutrients in the Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Very Low Birth Weight Infants.
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a critical intestinal emergency condition, which mainly occurs in preterm very low birth weight (PVLBW) infants. Despite remarkable advances in the care of PVLBW infants, with considerable improvement of the survival rate in recent decades, the incidence of NEC and NEC-related mortality have not declined accordingly. The fast progression from nonspecific signs to extensive necrosis also makes primary prevention the first priority. Recently, increasing evidence has indicated the important role of several nutrients in primary prevention of NEC. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize some potential immunomodulatory nutrients in the prevention of NEC, including bovine colostrum, probiotics, prebiotics (e.g., human milk oligosaccharides), long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, and amino acids (glutamine, cysteine and N-acetylcysteine, l-arginine and l-citrulline). Based on current research evidence, probiotics are the most documented effective method to prevent NEC, while others still require further investigation in animal studies and clinical randomized controlled trials.
Department of Neonatology, Bao'an Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Shenzhen 518133, Guangdong, China. xianggalao@126.com.
Ping
P
Zhou
Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg DK-1870, Denmark. yli@sund.ku.dk.
Yanqi
Y
Li
Department of Neonatology, Bao'an Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Shenzhen 518133, Guangdong, China. maria226@sina.com.
Li-Ya
LY
Ma
Children's Hospital of China Medical University, No. 2 Yuh Der Road, Taichung 404, Taiwan. d0373@mail.cmuh.org.tw.|School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung 404, Taiwan. d0373@mail.cmuh.org.tw.
Hung-Chih
HC
Lin
D001724:Birth Weight; D003126:Colostrum; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D041943:Infant Formula; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D009752:Nutritional Status; D019936:Probiotics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
necrotizing enterocolitis; nutrients; prevention; probiotics; very low birth weight infants