{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T20:18:00Z","timestamp":1789071480494,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,5]],"date-time":"2024-09-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1725494400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Preterm birth significantly contributes to mortality and morbidities, with recent studies linking these issues to gut microbiota imbalances. Probiotic supplementation shows promise in mitigating adverse outcomes in preterm infants, but optimal timing and guidelines remain unclear. This study assesses the benefits of probiotic supplementation for preterm infants without consistent guidelines. Methods: This retrospective study examined extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units from 2017 to 2021. Mortality and preterm-related outcomes were compared between infants receiving probiotics and those not. Subgroup analyses based on probiotic initiation timing were conducted: early (\u226414 days), late (&gt;14 days), and non-probiotic groups. Results: The study included 330 ELBW infants: 206 received probiotics (60 early, 146 late), while 124 did not. Probiotic supplementation was associated with lower overall mortality (adjusted OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.09\u20130.48) and decreased mortality from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) or late-onset sepsis (LOS) (adjusted OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03\u20130.45). Early probiotics reduced overall mortality, NEC\/LOS-related mortality, and NEC\/LOS-unrelated mortality. Late probiotics decreased overall mortality and NEC\/LOS-related mortality. Early probiotic use also expedited full enteral feeding achievement. Conclusions: Probiotic supplementation reduces mortality and improves feeding tolerance in preterm infants. Establishing guidelines for probiotic use in this population is crucial.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu16172995","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,5]],"date-time":"2024-09-05T04:15:11Z","timestamp":1725509711000},"page":"2995","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Impact of Clinical Use of Probiotics on Preterm-Related Outcomes in Infants with Extremely Low Birth Weight"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Wei-Hung","family":"Wu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ming-Chou","family":"Chiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3834-6229","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ren-Huei","family":"Fu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mei-Yin","family":"Lai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"I-Hsyuan","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Reyin","family":"Lien","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chien-Chung","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, School of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3027","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(16)31593-8","article-title":"Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-15: An updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals","volume":"388","author":"Liu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"101054","article-title":"The influence of birthweight on mortality and severe neonatal morbidity in late preterm and term infants: An Australian cohort study","volume":"45","author":"Triggs","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Reg. 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