A pioneering study: oral clarithromycin treatment for feeding intolerance in very low birth weight preterm infants |
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| Authors: | Selim Sancak Tugba Gursoy Abdulhamit Tuten Didem Arman Guner Karatekin Fahri Ovali |
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| Institution: | 1. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children’s Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey;2. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Koc University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey;3. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Abstract: | Purpose: To examine the prokinetic effect of clarithromycin in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants.Materials and methods: VLBW preterm infants who have not achieved half of the full enteral feeding in the second week of life were enrolled in the study. The infants enrolled in the study were randomized. Twenty infants received oral clarithromycin (7.5?mg/kg, twice a day) and 20 control infants did not receive any treatment.Results: Full enteral feeding was attained earlier in the clarithromycin group than in the control group 7 (6–9) versus 9 (9–11) days, respectively; p?p?=?.013 and p?n?=?1 versus 3, p?=?.1) and length of hospital stay (50 versus 59 median days, p?=?.1) tend to be lower in the clarithromycin group without any statistical significance. We observed no adverse effect of clarithromycin therapy.Conclusions: Clarithromycin treatment in VLBW preterm infants resulted in better toleration of enteral feeding. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to establish routine use of clarithromycin in the treatment of feeding intolerance. |
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| Keywords: | Clarithromycin prokinetic feeding intolerance premature infants gastrointestinal dysmotility |
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