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Meta-Analysis
. 2015 Oct 24;2015(10):CD003478.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003478.pub5.

Prophylactic oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal agents to prevent invasive fungal infection in very low birth weight infants

Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Prophylactic oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal agents to prevent invasive fungal infection in very low birth weight infants

Nicola Austin et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Background: Invasive fungal infection is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in very preterm or very low birth weight infants. Uncertainty exists about the effect of prophylactic oral/topical non-absorbed antifungals to reduce mucocutaneous colonisation and so limit the risk of invasive fungal infection in this population.

Objectives: To assess the effect of prophylactic oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal therapy on the incidence of invasive fungal infection, mortality and morbidity in very preterm or very low birth weight infants.

Search methods: We used the standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group. This included searches of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL: The Cochrane Library, 2015, Issue 7), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL (to May 2015), conference proceedings, and previous reviews.

Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared the effect of prophylactic oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal therapy versus placebo or no drug or another antifungal agent or dose regimen in very preterm or very low birth weight infants.

Data collection and analysis: We extracted data using the standard methods of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group with separate evaluation of trial quality and data extraction by two review authors.

Main results: Four trials, in which a total of 1800 infants participated, compared oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal prophylaxis (nystatin or miconazole) with placebo or no drug. These trials had various methodological weaknesses including quasi-randomisation, lack of allocation concealment, and lack of blinding of intervention and outcomes assessment. The incidence of invasive fungal infection was very high in the control groups of three of these trials. Meta-analysis found a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of invasive fungal infection (typical risk ratio 0.20, 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.27; risk difference -0.18, -0.21 to -0.15) but substantial statistical heterogeneity was present. We did not find a statistically significant effect on mortality (typical risk ratio 0.87, 0.72 to 1.05; risk difference -0.03, -0.06 to 0.01). None of the trials assessed posthospital discharge outcomes. Three trials (N = 326) assessed the effect of oral/topical non-absorbed versus systemic antifungal prophylaxis. Meta-analyses did not find any statistically significant differences in the incidences of invasive fungal infection or all-cause mortality.

Authors' conclusions: The finding of a reduction in risk of invasive fungal infection in very low birth weight infants treated with oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal prophylaxis should be interpreted cautiously because of methodological weaknesses in the included trials. Further large randomised controlled trials in current neonatal practice settings are needed to resolve this uncertainty. These trials might compare oral/topical non-absorbed antifungal agents with placebo, with each other, or with systemic antifungal agents and should include an assessment of effect on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

1
1
Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.
2
2
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, outcome: 1.1 Incidence of invasive fungal infection.
3
3
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, outcome: 1.2 Mortality.
4
4
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, outcome: 1.6 Length of stay in NICU (days).
5
5
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, outcome: 2.1 Incidence of invasive fungal infection.
6
6
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, outcome: 2.2 Mortality.
7
7
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, outcome: 2.4 Necrotising enterocolitis.
1.1
1.1. Analysis
Comparison 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, Outcome 1 Incidence of invasive fungal infection.
1.2
1.2. Analysis
Comparison 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, Outcome 2 Mortality.
1.3
1.3. Analysis
Comparison 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, Outcome 3 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
1.4
1.4. Analysis
Comparison 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, Outcome 4 Necrotising enterocolitis.
1.5
1.5. Analysis
Comparison 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, Outcome 5 Retinopathy of prematurity.
1.6
1.6. Analysis
Comparison 1 Oral/topical non‐absorbed antifungal prophylaxis vs placebo or nothing, Outcome 6 Length of stay in NICU (days).
2.1
2.1. Analysis
Comparison 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, Outcome 1 Incidence of invasive fungal infection.
2.2
2.2. Analysis
Comparison 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, Outcome 2 Mortality.
2.3
2.3. Analysis
Comparison 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, Outcome 3 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
2.4
2.4. Analysis
Comparison 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, Outcome 4 Necrotising enterocolitis.
2.5
2.5. Analysis
Comparison 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, Outcome 5 Retinopathy of prematurity.
2.6
2.6. Analysis
Comparison 2 Oral/topical non‐absorbed prophylaxis vs. systemic antifungal prophylaxis, Outcome 6 Length of stay in NICU (days).

Update of

References

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References to other published versions of this review

Austin 2004
    1. Austin NC, Darlow B. Prophylactic oral antifungal agents to prevent systemic candida infection in preterm infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 1. [DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003478.pub2] - DOI - PubMed
Austin 2009
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Austin 2013
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