Bovine Colostrum in Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Sepsis in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot Trial

Abstract

The use of prophylactic enteral bovine colostrum in VLBW infants shows a trend toward increased stool IL-6 and features of NEC. We were unable to detect clinical benefits.

Bovine Colostrum Before or After Formula Feeding Improves Systemic Immune Protection and Gut Function in Newborn Preterm Pigs

“…For example, colostrum contains high proteins, low carbohydrates, and different levels of vitamins and minerals compared with MM and formula (14). On the other hand, severely modified colostrum will lose its bioactivity and may exert detrimental effect in preterm infants (50). In conclusion, our study underlines the importance of initial enteral feeding and how initial feeding shapes the developmental trajectory of intestinal health and systemic immunity in preterm neonates.…”

Human Milk Fortification with Bovine Colostrum Is Superior to Formula‐Based Fortifiers to Prevent Gut Dysfunction, Necrotizing Enterocolitis, and Systemic Infection in Preterm Pigs

“…In contrast with FFs, fortification with BC better preserved gut microbial homeostasis and barrier function (more mucin‐containing goblet cells), which may be ascribed to the high amounts of growth factors and antimicrobial peptides present in BC, thereby helping to neutralize bacteria‐derived toxins, limit the growth of opportunistic pathogens, and reinforce the mucous layer . Such immunomodulatory peptides may be destroyed during industrial processing (filtrations, heat sterilizations), which may partly explain that there was no clinical benefit when preterm infants were supplemented with a product containing a highly processed immunoglobulin‐enriched fraction of BC …”

“…[43][44][45][46] Such immunomodulatory peptides may be destroyed during industrial processing (filtrations, heat sterilizations), which may partly explain that there was no clinical benefit when preterm infants were supplemented with a product containing a highly processed immunoglobulin-enriched fraction of BC. 13,47 Prematurity at birth, postnatal age, feeding advancement rate, quality of fortifier, and comorbidities together determine the growth and clinical responses to human milk fortification in very preterm infants. Feeding with DHM reduces NEC incidence and gut dysfunction compared with infant formula, especially when such milk diets are introduced gradually after preterm birth.…”

Human and Bovine Colostrum for Prevention of Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Meta-analysis

“…In contrast, the bovine colostrum has been administered via an enteral route. 17,29 For example, Juhl et al 30 administered colostrum as a reconstituted colostrum powder to reach the required energy density, whereas Balachandran et al 29 used small amounts of a different product powder that was mixed with expressed human milk and given 4 times per day. In this case, the aim was to produce an effect on the maturation of the gut as has been described on infant piglets.…”

“…The intervention in 6 studies 13,14,16,[26][27][28] was human colostrum, and in 2 studies the intervention was bovine colostrum. 29,30 In 2 studies, researchers enrolled preterm infants with a birth weight of ≤1.0 kg or gestational age <28 weeks. 13,14 In 5 studies, researchers enrolled preterm infants with a birth weight of ≤1.5 kg or gestational age <32 weeks.…”