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Erythromycin treatment for gastrointestinal dysmotility in preterm infants
Author(s) -
NG PC,
FOK TF,
LEE CH,
WONG W,
CHEUNG KL
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1997.tb01018.x
Subject(s) - medicine , erythromycin , parenteral nutrition , enteral administration , adverse effect , gastrointestinal tract , randomized controlled trial , pediatrics , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Objective: To report our clinical experience on the use of oral erythromycin for the treatment of severe gastrointestinal dysmotility in preterm infants. Methodology: A case series study of seven preterm infants (six were very low birthweight) with severe intestinal dysmotility in a tertiary neonatal centre. Results: All responded favourably without adverse effects and tolerated full enteral feeding within 1–2 weeks of the commencement of the drug. Conclusions: As prolonged total parenteral nutrition carries significant risk of complications, this therapy could be considered in selected preterm infants who fail to establish enteral feeding after an extended period, and in whom an anatomically obstructive lesion of the gastrointestinal tract has been excluded. Meanwhile, we would caution against the widespread implementation of this therapeutic approach until formal evaluation by randomized controlled trials have established the exact role of erythromycin, or its analogues, in the treatment of intestinal dysmotility in preterm infants.