ABSTRACT
Objectives: To compare the efficacy of combination of lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1, lactobacillus bulgaricus, bifidobacterium infantis in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonates with placebo. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Duration of Study: May 2012 to October 2012. Setting: Department of Pediatric Medicine, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad
Methodology: Over 6 months, 220 preterm neonates meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and were assigned randomly to two groups after parental informed consent was obtained. The neonates in study group received probiotic with breast milk or preterm formula milk and neonates in control group received breast milk or preterm formula milk. Both groups were observed for the development of clinical evidence of NEC. The Data was statistically analyzed; Chi square test and Fischer's exact test was applied to compare both groups for presence of NEC
Results: The number of days required to reach full enteral feeding [study group 8.73 +/- 3.87 days vs control group 10.72 +/- 5.43 days; p-value 0.002] and duration of hospital stay was [study group 11.35 +/- 6.74 vs control group 15.35 +/- 10.29; p-value 0.001] significantly low in the probiotic-exposed group compared with the control. The incidence of NEC [study group 10.0% vs control group 22.72%; p-value 0.011] was significantly low in the probiotic-exposed group when compared with non-exposed group
Conclusion: Alteration of microbial florae following oral supplementation of probiotics along with human milk have beneficial effects in reducing the incidence of NEC especially in pre-term neonates
ABSTRACT
Hyperbilirubinemia is the most common abnormal physical finding in first few weeks of lif and its most common management is phototherapy. Amongst other common complications a less known complication of phototherapy is hypocalcemia
Objectives: to study the incidence of phototherapy induced hypocalcemia in neonates and to have a comparison between preterm and term neonates
Study design: descriptive cross-sectional study
Setting: paediatric Unit II DHQ Hospital Faisalabad, which is a tertiary care centre for all kind of patients
Duration of study with dates: six months from 1-11-2012 to 30-04-2013
Methods: 196 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia full term / preterm neonates admitted in pediatric DHQ hospital faislabad were selected. Inclusion criteria. 1] Hyperbilirubinemia. 2] No hypocalcemia on admission. 3] Received phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia. Serum Calcium levels were measured in all neonates before and 48 hours after receiving phototherapy. Incidence of hypocalcemia among all neonates was calculated as an absolute percentage and the sample population was also divided into preterm / full term neonates to evaluate the incidence of hypocalcemia in these two groups individually
RESULTS: mean serum calcium in neonates was 7.5+- 1.5 mg / dl .16.84% of neonates were found to have calcium level below the cut off value. 33 out of 196 developed hypocalcemia after phototherapy and out of these 54% were preterm and 45% were term neonates < P-value [0.01]>
Conclusion: phototherapy induces hypocalcemia in neonates more so in preterm neonates
Impact: consideration for additional calcium supplementation should be undertaken in all neonates undergoing phototherapy and further randomized trials need to be done with these concerns