Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities receiving enteral nutrition: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMIDs) frequently and continuously receive enteral nutrition and medications and lack adequate exercise, which may lead to dysbiosis, an imbalance in the composition of the gut microbiota. However, studies on the composition of gut microbiota in children with SMIDs are limited. Therefore, we aimed to examine the characteristics of the gut microbiota in children with SMIDs. METHODS: 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed using fecal samples of 10 children with SMIDs, who received enteral nutrition through a gastric fistula or gastric tube (SMID group: median age, 10.0 years), and 19 healthy children (healthy control [HC] group: median age, 9.0 years). Microbial diversity, microbial composition, and abundance of butyric acid-producing bacteria were compared between the groups. Daily dietary fiber intake in the SMID group was evaluated using questionnaires. RESULTS: The Shannon and Simpson indices (alpha diversity indices) were significantly lower in the SMID group than those in the HC group. Beta diversity analysis identified different clusters. Compared with the HC group, Clostridiales and butyric acid-producing bacteria were less abundant and Bacteroidales were more abundant in the SMID group. Dietary fiber intake in the SMID group was approximately two-thirds of the estimated average requirement for healthy Japanese children. CONCLUSION: Children with SMIDs showed dysbiosis with alteration in the microbial diversity, which could partly be attributed to their low dietary fiber intake. Further studies, with the intervention of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics, are warranted to improve dysbiosis in children with SMIDs.

Dysbiosis in Gut Microbiota in Children Born Preterm Who Developed Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study.

The gut microbiota was reported to differ between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in preterm infants is common. Here, we explored the characteristics of gut microbiota in children born preterm with ASD. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing using stool samples from ASD children born preterm and TD children born preterm. Alpha diversity was significantly greater in the ASD group. A comparison of beta diversity showed different clusters. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis revealed significantly more Firmicutes in the ASD group compared with the TD group. In conclusion, the gut microbiota in children born preterm differs between children with ASD and TD.

Accuracy of diagnosing acute kidney injury by assessing urine output within the first week of life in extremely preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased mortality and is often assessed with the neonatal modified Kidney Disease: improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification, which uses changes in serum creatinine levels. However, because this classification has many drawbacks, a novel method, the neonatal Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-Stage Kidney Disease (nRIFLE) classification for diagnosing neonatal AKI according to urine output (UO), was recently proposed. To date, no data on the incidence of AKI according to nRIFLE are available for extremely preterm infants (born at gestational age less than 28 weeks). This study was conducted to clarify the association between incidence of AKI and in-hospital mortality in extremely preterm infants. METHODS: Of 171 extremely preterm infants hospitalized from 2006 to 2020, 84 in whom indwelling bladder catheters were placed for UO measurements within 24 h of life were included. The incidence of AKI was assessed using the nRIFLE classification. In-hospital mortality was compared between patients with AKI and those without it. RESULTS: The incidence of AKI during the first week of life was 56% and that of in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with AKI (25.5%) than in those without it (2.8%). The odds ratio was 12.3 with 95% confidence interval ranging from 1.5 to 100.0. CONCLUSION: The incidence of AKI according to nRIFLE was higher than reported in most previous studies using the neonatal modified KDIGO classification, suggesting that assessment by nRIFLE criteria using UO may improve diagnostic accuracy of AKI in extremely preterm infants.

Association of Neonatal Jaundice with Gut Dysbiosis Characterized by Decreased Bifidobacteriales.

Neonatal jaundice, caused by excess serum bilirubin levels, is a common condition in neonates. Imbalance in the gut microbiota is believed to play a role in the development of neonatal jaundice. Thus, we aimed to reveal the gut microbiota characteristics in neonates with jaundice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on stool samples collected on day 4 from 26 neonates with jaundice (serum total bilirubin > 15.0 mg/dL) and 17 neonates without jaundice (total serum bilirubin < 10.0 mg/dL). All neonates were born full term, with normal weight, by vaginal delivery, and were breastfed. Neonates who were administered antibiotics, had serum direct bilirubin levels above 1 mg/dL, or had conditions possibly leading to hemolytic anemia were excluded. The median serum bilirubin was 16.0 mg/dL (interquartile range: 15.5-16.8) and 7.4 mg/dL (interquartile range: 6.8-8.3) for the jaundice and non-jaundice groups, respectively. There was no difference in the alpha diversity indices. Meanwhile, in the jaundice group, linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed that Bifidobacteriales were decreased at the order level, while Enterococcaceae were increased and Bifidobacteriaceae were decreased at the family level. Bifidobacteriaceae may act preventatively because of their suppressive effect on beta-glucuronidase, leading to accelerated deconjugation of conjugated bilirubin in the intestine. In summary, neonates with jaundice had dysbiosis characterized by a decreased abundance of Bifidobacteriales.

Optimal bacterial colony counts for the diagnosis of upper urinary tract infections in infants.

BACKGROUND: There are no consensus criteria for diagnosing upper urinary tract infections (UTI). Therefore, we conducted a study to assess whether bacterial colony counts of ≥ 103 CFU/ml are optimal for diagnosing upper UTIs among infants. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 673 patients (<4 months of age) with urine samples obtained by catheterization for bacterial cultures. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were obtained when cutoff values of 103, 104, and 105 CFU/ml were used for diagnosing upper UTIs. Upper UTI patients were divided based on cutoff values: Group A (103 CFU/ml), Group B (104 CFU/ml), and Group C (≥ 105 CFU/ml). RESULTS: Of the 197 positive (≥ 103 CFU/ml) patients, 92 were diagnosed with an upper UTI. These patients were divided into Group A (n = 23), Group B (n = 16), and Group C (n = 53). No significant differences were detected in terms of clinical findings, including the incidence of vesicoureteral reflex. When cutoff values of 103, 104, and 105 CFU/ml were used for diagnosing upper UTIs, the sensitivity/specificity percentages were 100/81.3, 75.0/95.9, and 57.6/97.5, and the PPVs/NPVs were 46.7/100, 75.0/95.9, and 79.1/93.4. CONCLUSION: Using ≥ 105 CFU/ml as a diagnostic threshold leads to approximately 40% of positive cases being missed. In contrast when ≥ 103 CFU/ml is used, all upper UTIs were identified. Therefore, bacterial colony counts of ≥ 103 CFU/ml should be considered the cutoff value for the diagnosis of upper UTIs in infants (< 4 months of age).