A pilot study of Bifidobacterium breve in neonates undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease.

Takako Umenai,Toshiyuki Itoi,Takashi Asahara,Koji Nomoto,Nobuaki Shime

doi:10.1186/2052-0492-2-36

Abstract

BackgroundProbiotics have currently been widely used in patients undergoing various types of surgeries and improved their clinical outcomes, while data in pediatric cardiac surgery have been lacking. We investigated the safety and effects on the intestinal microbiota of the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve in neonates undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease.MethodsThis pilot, randomized study was performed in a single-center, university hospital-based pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Twenty-one neonates undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease at >7 days after birth were randomly allocated to two groups: group A received 3 × 109 colony-forming units (CFU)/day of enteral B. breve strain Yakult (BBG-01), which was started 1 week before and terminated 1 week after surgery (n = 10), and group B did not receive BBG-01 (n = 11).ResultsThe characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. The postoperative days until fulfillment of the criteria for discharge from the PICU tended to be fewer in group A (8 [7–8] days) than in group B (9 [8–14] days) (p = 0.10). Likewise, the postoperative days to enteral nutrition or achievement of caloric goal tended to be fewer in group A than in group B. The Bifidobacterium in fecal samples after initiating BBG-01 in group A were significantly higher in number than that in group B. Enterobacteriaceae were significantly fewer in group A than in group B immediately (7.0 [3.9–7.7] vs. 8.5 [8.0–9.1] log10 cells/g) and 1 week (7.7 [7.0–8.1] vs. 9.3 [8.6–9.5] log10 cells/g) after surgery (p < 0.05 for both comparisons). The number of Pseudomonas after 1 week was significantly lower in group A than in group B (p = 0.04). The concentrations of total organic and acetic acids were also significantly higher in group A than in group B. The postoperative course was uncomplicated and all neonates were discharged alive from the PICU.ConclusionsThe perioperative administration of a probiotic to neonates undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease was safe and significantly improved their intestinal environment. The positive effects of this treatment on clinically significant outcomes remain to be investigated.

Highlights

Probiotics have currently been widely used in patients undergoing various types of surgeries and improved their clinical outcomes, while data in pediatric cardiac surgery have been lacking
In this pilot study, we examined the effects of the perioperative administration of probiotic bacteria, Bifidobacterium breve [15,16,17], on the intestinal microbiota and the clinical outcomes of neonates who underwent cardiac surgery
Between April 2007 and April 2010, neonates admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery between 1 to 2 weeks after birth were enrolled in this study

Summary

Introduction

Probiotics have currently been widely used in patients undergoing various types of surgeries and improved their clinical outcomes, while data in pediatric cardiac surgery have been lacking. Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer benefits to a host when administered in sufficient amounts [7] They have been widely used in critically ill [8,9] or cancerous patients undergoing surgery [10,11] and allegedly improved their clinical outcomes. Despite the putative therapeutic effects they confer to neonates at risk of intestinal failure, studies of probiotics in neonates undergoing neonatal surgery for congenital heart disease are scarce [14] In this pilot study, we examined the effects of the perioperative administration of probiotic bacteria, Bifidobacterium breve [15,16,17], on the intestinal microbiota and the clinical outcomes of neonates who underwent cardiac surgery

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Discussion

Conclusion