Probiotics in preterm infants: meta-analysis on neonatal jaundice and respiratory distress syndrome
Probiotic supplementation was significantly associated with reduced neonatal jaundice and respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants, according to a meta-analysis of 18 studies.
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What the study showed
Probiotic supplementation reduced the incidence of neonatal jaundice (RR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.61–0.84), peak total serum bilirubin (MD = −1.84 mg/dL), and phototherapy requirements (RR = 0.68). The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome was also significantly reduced (RR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.66–0.95).
How it was done
Meta-analysis conducted per PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library; 18 eligible studies comprising 2,587 preterm infants were included, with pooled estimates calculated using random-effects models.
Risk of bias
The abstract does not report heterogeneity statistics (I²), specific probiotic strains, doses, or intervention timing — all critical for clinical applicability. Inclusion of studies assessed by both Cochrane RoB 2 and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale indicates mixed study designs and methodological variability.
What this study does NOT prove
This study does not prove that any specific probiotic strain or dose is effective, nor that observed effects translate into reduced neonatal mortality.
In clinical practice
Results are biologically plausible via gut-liver and gut-lung axes, but the absence of strain- and protocol-level data precludes immediate clinical recommendations. Full-text review and institutional guidelines are required before practice changes.
Limitations
The abstract does not report heterogeneity statistics (I²), specific probiotic strains, doses, or intervention timing — all critical for clinical applicability. Inclusion of studies assessed by both Cochrane RoB 2 and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale indicates mixed study designs and methodological variability.
Technical appendix
Version history
- 1.0 · 2026-09-04 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0
Paid access: structured summary from public metadata; consult the original study at the source.