What do systematic reviews say?

Slow vs faster rates of enteral feed advancement

Slow showed no clear difference in mortality before hospital discharge compared with faster rates of enteral feed advancement (moderate certainty).

• Slow advancement of enteral feed volumes to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.13 [0.91, 1.39]
  13 studies · 3860 participants
  Moderate

Late (seven days or more following birth) higher vs lower sodium intake

It is very uncertain whether late (seven days or more following birth) higher changes mortality (latest time reported up to hospital discharge) compared with lower sodium intake (very low certainty).

• Higher versus lower sodium intake for preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.13 [0.01, 2.2]
  1 study · 49 participants
  Very low

Early (less than seven days following birth) higher vs lower sodium intake

Early (less than seven days following birth) higher showed no clear difference in mortality (latest time reported up to hospital discharge) compared with lower sodium intake (low certainty).

• Higher versus lower sodium intake for preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.38, 2.72]
  3 studies · 83 participants
  Low

Lower vs higher oxygen concentrations titrated to target oxygen saturations during resuscitation of preterm infants at birth

Lower showed no clear difference in mortality, near term corrected age or discharge compared with higher oxygen concentrations titrated to target oxygen saturations… (low certainty).

• Lower versus higher oxygen concentrations titrated to target oxygen saturations during resuscitation of preterm… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.05 [0.68, 1.63]
  10 studies · 914 participants
  Low

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin… showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin (moderate certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.24, 1.85]
  1 study · 893 participants
  Moderate

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable… showed no clear difference in neonatal mortality compared with 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin (low certainty).

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.88 [0.29, 2.65]
  3 studies · 2036 participants
  Low

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Comparison 2: 2 days oral amoxicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Comparison 2: 2 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin followed by 5 days oral amoxicillin vs 7 days injectable benzylpenicillin + injectable gentamicin

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Community‐based antibiotic delivery for possible serious bacterial infections in neonates in low‐ and middle‐income… 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Early and late (day 1 to 28 after birth) higher vs lower sodium intake

• Higher versus lower sodium intake for preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported

Summary of Findings Table ‐ Low vs moderate‐high nasal continuous positive airway pressure levels

It is very uncertain whether summary of Findings Table ‐ Low changes mortality, by hospital discharge compared with moderate‐high nasal continuous positive airway pressure levels (very low certainty).

• Nasal continuous positive airway pressure levels for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.04 [0.51, 2.12]
  1 study · 271 participants
  Very low
• Nasal continuous positive airway pressure levels for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.94 [0.12, 70.3]
  1 study · 93 participants
  Very low

Targeted individualized vs standard non‐individualized fortification

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Individualized versus standard diet fortification for growth and development in preterm infants receiving human milk 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Adjustable individualized fortification vs standard non‐individualized fortification

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Individualized versus standard diet fortification for growth and development in preterm infants receiving human milk 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Targeted individualized fortification vs adjustable individualized fortification

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Individualized versus standard diet fortification for growth and development in preterm infants receiving human milk 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Targeted or adjustable individualized fortification vs standard non‐individualized fortification

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Individualized versus standard diet fortification for growth and development in preterm infants receiving human milk 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Standard‐protein formula vs low‐protein formula

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Higher versus lower protein intake in formula‐fed term infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Formula vs donor breast milk

Formula showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality compared with donor breast milk (moderate certainty).

• Formula versus donor breast milk for feeding preterm or low birth weight infants 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.1 [0.8, 1.5]
  7 studies · 1527 participants
  Moderate