Bovine Colostrum in Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Sepsis in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot Trial.
To study the efficacy of bovine colostrum in prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and sepsis in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.



Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.



Neonates with birth weight ≤1500 g, gestation ≤32 weeks and postnatal age ≤96 h.



Enteral bovine colostrum or placebo, four times a day, till 21 days of life or discharge or death.



Definite NEC. Secondary outcomes included sepsis, mortality and stool interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels.



Of the total 86 subjects (43 in each group), there were no statistically significant in the main outcome measures. In the colostrum group, there were trends toward higher stool IL-6 values and higher incidence of ileus and radiological signs of NEC.



The use of prophylactic enteral bovine colostrum in VLBW infants shows a trend toward increased stool IL-6 and features of NEC. We were unable to detect clinical benefits.
Neonatal Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
Binesh
B
Balachandran
Neonatal Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India sourabhdutta1@gmail.com.
Sourabh
S
Dutta
Department of Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
Ramandeep
R
Singh
Department of Biochemistry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
Rajendra
R
Prasad
Neonatal Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
Praveen
P
Kumar
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003126:Colostrum; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
bovine colostrum; necrotizing enterocolitis; prevention; very low birth weight babies