Neonatal Med.  2013 Nov;20(4):462-469. 10.5385/nm.2013.20.4.462.

Efficacy of Erythromycin and Metoclopramide in Neonates with Feeding Intolerance

• Seo KA
• Lee NM
• Choi ES
• Yoo BH

• KMID: 1876432
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5385/nm.2013.20.4.462

Abstract

PURPOSE
Feeding intolerance is common in premature infants. It may extend the parenteral nutrition period and increase the risk of complications. We evaluated the efficacy of erythromycin and metoclopramide in neonates with feeding intolerance.
METHODS
Between December 2006 to August 2011, 114 neonates with feeding intolerance were divided into two groups treated with either erythromycin or metoclopramide in the neonatal intensive care unit of Chung-ang University Hospital, a tertiary care center. We defined neonates with feeding intolerance as those who either could not be fully fed enterally (120 mL/kg/day) within 7 days or who skipped feeding more than twice per day because the gastric residual volume was >20% of each feed or more than 50% once. The time taken to achieve 50%, 75%, and 100% enteral feeding was estimated retrospectively.
RESULTS
The erythromycin group achieved 50% feeding (P=0.047), 75% feeding (P=0.042), and 100% feeding (P=0.039) earlier than the metoclopramide group. The erythromycin group achieved 100% feeding earlier than the metoclopramide group among infants with birth weight > or =1,500 g (P=0.036) and those with gestational age > or =34 weeks (P=0.008).
CONCLUSION
Compared with metoclopramide, erythromycin improves feeding in neonates with feeding intolerance, especially in infants with birth weight > or =1,500 g and in those with gestational age > or =34 weeks.

Keyword

Erythromycin; Feeding intolerance; Metoclopramide; Neonate

MeSH Terms

Birth Weight
Enteral Nutrition
Erythromycin*
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn*
Infant, Premature
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Metoclopramide*
Parenteral Nutrition
Residual Volume
Retrospective Studies
Tertiary Care Centers
Erythromycin
Metoclopramide