The human microbiota, a collection of microorganisms mostly settled in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a major role in the maintenance of the hosts' health and in development of disease as well. Exposure to different conditions early in life contributes to distinct "pioneer" bacterial communities, which shape the newborn infants' development and influence their later physiological, immunological and neurological homeostasis. Newborn infants with congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract (CMGIT), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) commonly require abdominal surgery and enterostomy. While intestinal microbiota has been extensively studied in infants with anatomically uninterrupted intestine, the knowledge of longitudinal intestinal colonization in this population is scarce. This is an exploratory, observational, and longitudinal prospective study, primarily aimed to determine longitudinally the colonization of the proximal remnant intestine, in newborn infants with enterostomy after surgery (three weeks) for CMGIT, NEC and SIP. The secondary aim is to explore the associations of the colonization with the mode of delivery, gestational age, postnatal age, duration of fasting, type of enteric feeding, antimicrobial therapy, H2-receptor antagonist therapy, and length of proximal remnant intestine.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
30
Newborn infants with congenital malformations of the gastrointestinal tract, necrotizing enterocolitis, and spontaneous intestinal perforation commonly require surgery and enterostomy. In these infants samples of the enterostomy effluent will be collected and DNA extracted for microbiota identification.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Dona Estefânia, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central
Lisbon, Portugal
RECRUITINGPattern of postsurgical intestinal microbiota colonization specific to each underlying condition
Longitudinal postsurgical microbiota colonization of the proximal remnant intestine, specific to each underlying condition
Time frame: The first sample will be collected as close as possible after placement of ostomy bag. From the first collection, new samples will be collected every 3 days, until the 21st day after surgery
Associations of types of microorganism identified with below defined clinical variables
Associations of microbiota colonization with the mode of delivery, gestational age, postnatal age, duration of fasting, type of enteric feeding, antimicrobial therapy, H2-receptor antagonist therapy, and length of proximal remnant intestine.
Time frame: The aforementioned clinical variables will be collected daily and the enterostomy effluent collected from the first placement of ostomy bag and every 3 days thereafter up to 21 days after surgery
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.