Evaluating the Effect of the Intermediate-Dose Oral Erythromycin on the Treatment of Feeding Intolerance in Premature Neonates: A Randomized Clinical Trial Study

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility is a common problem among preterm neonates with very-low-birth-weight and is manifested as feeding intolerance, and in this situation, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is needed for several complications. Erythromycin is a prokinetic antibiotic that neonatologists widely prescribe for the treatment of GI dysmotility in high and low doses.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an intermediate dose of Erythromycin in the treatment of feeding intolerance in preterm neonates.

This study is a randomized clinical trial on preterm neonates admitted in two university-affiliated hospitals in Isfahan, Iran, during 2016 - 2017. Feeding is started for all neonates with 20 mL/kg/day doses and if they tolerate it, 20 mL/kg/day is added daily to receive toreach 150 mLcc/kg/day. The infants were divided into two groups, which received either Erythromycin (5 mg/kg/dose every 6 hours) or placebo for eight days. These outcomes were evaluated: time duration to reach 75, 110, and 150 mL/kg/day feeding volume, lavage count after the intervention, time duration of oxygen dependency and hospitalization, the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, intraventricular hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus, chronic lung disease, cholestatic icterus, sepsis, and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Sixty-four neonates (female 38 (59.3%) and male 26 (40.6%)) with the mean gestational age 30.10 ± 2.49 weeks were evaluated. The mean time duration to reach 75, 110, and 150 mL/kg/day feeding volume was significantly lower in the Erythromycin group (4.19 vs. 6.84 days, P < 0.001, 6.35 vs. 9.08 days, P < 0.001 and 9 vs. 11.46 days, P < 0.001 in the Erythromycin vs. placebo groups, respectively). Also the number of lavages were significantly lower in the Erythromycin group (0.35 ± 0.56 vs. 3.03 ± 3.08 in the Eerythromycin and placebo groups; P < 0.001).

Intermediate dose of Erythromycin can reduce the time duration to reach full feeding volume and is safe for preterm neonates.