Randomized Controlled Trial of a High Dose of Oral Erythromycin for the Treatment of Feeding Intolerance in Preterm Infants
Neonatology, 07/11/2011
Mansi Y et al. – High–dose erythromycin is associated with greater weight gain in preterm infants <32 weeks gestational age, who are predominantly fed cow’s milk–based protein formulas.
Methods- This study is a prospective randomized controlled trial on 60 premature infants suffering from feeding intolerance.
- Thirty infants were given oral erythromycin ethylsuccinate at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day for 10 days or until they reached full enteral feeds.
- Randomization was stratified according to gestational age <32 weeks or >32 weeks gestation.
- The primary end point was the time taken to establish full enteral feeding since enrollment.
- Potential adverse effects associated with erythromycin were also monitored.
- Student’s t test was used for comparison of continuous variables and x2for categorical data.
- In infants <32 weeks, the use of erythromycin was associated with more daily weight gain compared to the control group.
- Time to reach full feed did not differ between the erythromycin and the control (17.46 ± 4.9 days) groups (p = 0.07).
- In infants >32 weeks, there were no differences between the erythromycin and the control groups.
