ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a critical situation, and its treatment and reduction are important clinical issues. Antibiotics are a routine treatment option, but their adverse effects are a concern in pediatric patients, especially infants. Prebiotics might be an alternative option. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to provide an updated systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of prebiotics for sepsis in infants, which could assist clinicians in deciding whether to use this treatment. METHODS: The study included RCTs related to prebiotics and sepsis in infants. A random effects model and the odds ratio (OR) were applied to estimate the effect of prebiotic use and the incidence of sepsis in infants. The analysis included 16 studies with a total of 6,438 infants. The primary outcome was the OR of sepsis for infants who received prebiotics. RESULTS: The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that the pooled OR of sepsis was significantly lower for infants who used prebiotics. However, the results indicated a medium level of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the use of prebiotics might be associated with a reduction of sepsis in infants. The standardized application of this treatment might be an intriguing topic for future clinical research.
