Microbes useful for premature infants and children with cancer receiving chemotherapy
The probiotic Bifidobacterium breve is an effective drug for preventing the development of necrotizing enterocolitis and infections in premature babies and reducing the severity of mucositis during chemotherapy in children with tumors.
A review by Japanese scientists summarized data from clinical trials in Tokyo regarding the benefits of using Bifidobacterium breve in premature infants and oncopathologists receiving chemotherapy.
To assess the protective effect of the B. breve (M-16V) probiotic for the prevention of the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and other infectious diseases in premature infants, clinical study was carried out on 338 children born with very low body weight (the total duration of the study was 5 years). The patients received B. breve probiotics at a dose of 109 CFU / day from the first hours after birth, the control group consisted of 226 premature infants who had not received a probiotic. The frequency of necrotizing enterocolitis was found to be statistically significantly lower in the bifidobacteria group than in the control group (0 vs 6 cases, respectively, p less than 0.01). The overall incidence of infectious diseases was also statistically significantly lower in the probiotic group. Therefore, the appointment of B. brief as a probiotic is a very effective measure to prevent NEC and other infectious diseases in premature infants.
Mucitis is one of the most common complications of chemotherapy in cancer patients, which has a significant negative effect on the general condition of the patient. To assess the effectiveness of the appointment of B. breve (BBG-01 - a different strain from that used in the study in premature infants) to reduce the severity of mucositis in the intestinal mucosa in children with oncopathology receiving chemotherapy. A randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 42 children with malignant neoplasms, in which the children received bifidobacteria or a placebo. The frequency of fever and antibiotic administration was recorded statistically significantly less frequently in the probiotic group compared to placebo. Destination B. breve increased colonization by anaerobes. The intestinal microflora altered after chemotherapy, such as an increase in the number of microorganisms in the Enterobacteriaceae family, was more pronounced in the placebo group.
Thus, the data obtained indicate that the appointment of B. breve is an effective approach to reduce the incidence of chemotherapy-induced mucositis in children with cancer.
The results of our studies strongly support the use of the probiotic B. breve as an effective drug for the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis and infections in premature infants and to reduce the severity of mucositis during chemotherapy in children with tumors.