Research Investigates Friendly Bacteria For Babies, UK

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 04 Feb 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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New research commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research's Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme will investigate whether giving premature babies 'friendly bacteria' (probiotics) decreases the risk of bacterial infections. Over 42,000 premature babies are born a year, and they have an increased risk of picking up infections which can cause long term complications or even be fatal.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria found in the human digestive tract, which have been shown to improve the general health of the gut and intestine. There is evidence that they may reduce the incidence of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal complication of prematurity. They are also thought to reduce the chance of infection, but there is limited evidence to support this.

The research team, led by Professor Kate Costeloe at Queen Mary, University of London, will assess the effectiveness of giving 1,300 pre-term babies a few drops of liquid containing probiotics, daily. This multi-centre clinical trial will measure the number of infections, growth rate, use of antibiotics and length of stay of the babies given probiotics, compared with a placebo group; it will also confirm whether or not their use is associated with a reduction of NEC.

"At birth, babies who are nursed with their mothers quickly become colonised with their 'friendly' bacteria. Pre-term babies, who are separated from their mother at birth, are more likely to become colonised with bacteria in the environment of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and these may cause infection," says Professor Costeloe. "Our research aims to find out whether probiotics can help improve the general health of premature babies and reduce their chances of having infections and other serious complications."

This study is among the first funded by the HTA programme as a result of a special call for research proposals in the area of medicines for children. The programme has commissioned a portfolio of research into the area to support the work of the new Medicines for Children Research Network, set up to target the development of safe and effective medicines for children, a largely neglected area.

Notes

1. A premature baby is one born before 37 weeks.

2. The HTA programme is a programme of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and produces high quality research information about the effectiveness, costs, and broader impact of health technologies for those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. It is the largest of the NIHR programmes and publishes the results of its research in the Health Technology Assessment journal, with over 400 issues published to date. The journal's 2006 Impact Factor (5.29) ranked it in the top 10% of medical and health-related journals. All issues are available for download free of charge from the website, http://www.hta.ac.uk The HTA programme is coordinated by the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment (NCCHTA), based at the University of Southampton.

3. The National Institute for Health Research provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility. The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients.

National Institute for Health Research