What do systematic reviews say?

Prebiotic vs control

• Prebiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  7 studies · 686 participants
  Low

Bubble vs ventilator or Infant Flow Driver nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

Bubble showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality before hospital discharge compared with ventilator or Infant Flow Driver nasal continuous positive airway… (low certainty).

• Bubble devices versus other pressure sources for nasal continuous positive airway pressure in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.93 [0.64, 1.36]
  10 studies · 1189 participants
  Low

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

Summary of findings table ‐ routine monitoring vs no routine monitoring of gastric residual

Summary of findings table ‐ routine monitoring showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality before hospital discharge compared with no routine monitoring of gastric residual (low certainty).

• Routine monitoring of gastric residual for prevention of necrotising enterocolitis in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 2.14 [0.77, 5.97]
  3 studies · 273 participants
  Low

Summary of findings table ‐ Re‐feeding vs discarding gastric residuals

Summary of findings table ‐ Re‐feeding showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality before hospital discharge compared with discarding gastric residuals (low certainty).

• Re‐feeding versus discarding gastric residuals to improve growth in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.5 [0.14, 1.85]
  1 study · 72 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs control

• Probiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  54 studies · 10484 participants
  Moderate

Probiotics vs control

• Probiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  7 studies · 1723 participants
  Low

Synbiotic vs control

• Synbiotics to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in very preterm or very low birth weight infants 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 925 participants
  Low

Anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor therapy vs conventional laser/cryotherapy

Anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor therapy showed no clear difference in mortality before discharge from primary hospital compared with conventional laser/cryotherapy (low certainty).

• Anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs for treatment of retinopathy of prematurity 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.5 [0.26, 8.75]
  2 studies · 229 participants
  Low

Indomethacin vs placebo or control

Indomethacin showed no clear difference in all‐cause neonatal mortality before hospital discharge compared with placebo or control (moderate certainty).

• Indomethacin for symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants 2021 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.78 [0.46, 1.33]
  8 studies · 314 participants
  Moderate

nHFV vs invasive respiratory therapy

It is very uncertain whether nHFV changes mortality before hospital discharge compared with invasive respiratory therapy (very low certainty).

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.2, 2.18]
  1 study · 80 participants
  Very low

nHFV vs NIPPV or NIV

nHFV showed no clear difference in mortality before hospital discharge compared with nIPPV used (low certainty).

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.86 [0.9, 3.83]
  2 studies · 84 participants
  Low

nHFV vs HFNC

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 37 participants
  Very low

nHFV vs NCPAP

nHFV showed no clear difference in mortality before hospital discharge compared with nCPAP (moderate certainty).

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.92 [0.52, 1.64]
  6 studies · 1427 participants
  Moderate

nHFV vs NIPPV or NIV

nHFV showed no clear difference in mortality before hospital discharge compared with nIPPV (low certainty).

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.83 [0.7, 4.79]
  2 studies · 984 participants
  Low

nHFV vs nIPPV following failure of initial non‐invasive respiratory support

nHFV showed no clear difference in mortality before hospital discharge compared with nIPPV following failure of initial non‐invasive respiratory support (low certainty).

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.44 [0.1, 21.33]
  1 study · 39 participants
  Low

nHFV vs NCPAP

It is very uncertain whether nHFV changes mortality before hospital discharge compared with nCPAP used (very low certainty).

• Non‐invasive high‐frequency ventilation in newborn infants with respiratory distress 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.41, 2.41]
  4 studies · 531 participants
  Very low

Iodine supplementation vs control

Iodine supplementation showed no clear difference in mortality before hospital discharge compared with control (high certainty).

• Iodine supplementation for the prevention of mortality and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.01 [0.72, 1.42]
  2 studies · 1380 participants
  High

Summary of findings table ‐ Quality and volume of gastric residual vs quality of gastric residual alone

Summary of findings table ‐ Quality and volume of gastric residual showed no clear difference in all‐cause mortality before hospital discharge compared with quality of gastric residual alone (low certainty).

• Routine monitoring of gastric residual for prevention of necrotising enterocolitis in preterm infants 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 3.21 [0.13, 76.67]
  1 study · 87 participants
  Low

Summary of findings table ‐ Early amino acids vs Late amino acids

• Early versus late administration of amino acids in preterm infants receiving parenteral nutrition 2024 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  0 studies · 0 participants
  GRADE not reported