EFFECTS OF FEEDING PREMATURE-INFANTS WITH LACTOBACILLUS GG ON GUT FERMENTATION

The study aimed to find out whether gut colonisation of premature babi es with a probiotic, Lactobacillus GG, modified enteric carbohydrate f ermentation. Twenty preterm infants were randomised to receive Lactoba cillus GG 10(8) colony forming units twice a day for two weeks or to a control group. Faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), ethanol, and u rinary 2,3-butanediol, were measured in parallel with microbiological studies. Lactobacillus GG colonised nine babies. From 1-28 days of age faecal SCFAs did not differ significantly from controls. Median and r anges were (treated and controls, respectively): acetic acid: 173 (tra ce-799), 166 (trace-700); propionic acid: 44 (trace-169), 37 (11-229); butyric acid: 31 (5-107), 37 (2-118) mumol/g dry weight. Ethanol was detected in more faecal samples from treated babies (65% v 37%), and a t higher concentration (6.3 (trace-40) v 3.3 (0.6-8.8; one 229) mumol/ g). 2,3-Butanediol was found in 66% of urine samples from treated babi es and 58% from controls. On 83% of these occasions Klebsiella sp, Ent erobacter sp, or Serratia sp were cultured from faeces. Lactobacillus GG had no obvious adverse effects on nutritionally important SCFAs. Th e small increase in ethanol excretion is unlikely to have clinical sig nificance.