Lactoferrina oral en la prevención de la sepsis neonatal. Metaanálisis de la literatura

Abstract

BACKGROUND Sepsis is an important cause of morbidity / mortality in the newborn. The research of therapeutic tools that allow the prevention and management of this clinical entity is an active field of investigation. It has been proposed that lactoferrin is effective in the prevention and management of neonatal sepsis. OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of oral lactoferrin in the prevention of neonatal sepsis. METHODOLOGY A meta-analysis of the literature was conducted which included controlled and randomized clinical trials. The search was conducted through the Medline, Embase, LilaCS databases and through the Cochrane Library and the Clinical Trials Registry of the United States National Institute of Health. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the information was carried out. Qualitative variables were estimated relative risks and for quantitative differences of averages or standardized differences of averages. RESULTS The systematic search allowed the identification of 17 studies of which 8 were included (1 excluded for not evaluating patients with sepsis) for a total of 1079 patients included in the meta-analysis. The studies were rated as of good methodological quality. It was found that the use of lactoferrin significantly reduces the incidence of sepsis (RR 0.45 IC95% 0.31), 0.66 and necrotizing enterocolitis RR 0.08 IC95% 0.02, 0.35 but has no effect on Mortality by sepsis RR 0.50 IC95% 0.06, 3.93. CONCLUSION The use of lactoferrin reduces the incidence of necrotizing sepsis and enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants, which is why it is suggested to use them.