Efficacy comparison between oral erythromycin versus domperidone for the treatment of feeding intolerance in preterm neonates

Abstract

Background: Domperidone and erythromycin are commonly used as prokinetic agents for feeding intolerance in preterm neonates; however, no data from a previous study have compared their efficacy. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of orally administered domperidone and erythromycin for the treatment of feeding intolerance in preterm infants. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included preterm neonates with a birthweight of <1800 g and gestational age <37 weeks. Data were collected from medical records at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (QSNICH) from 2006 to 2014. The primary outcome was the time to establish full enteral feeding (150 ml/kg/day) after starting oral domperidone or erythromycin for the treatment of feeding intolerance in preterm neonates. The secondary outcome was adverse effects associated with domperidone and erythromycin therapy. Results: Among the 150 preterm neonates enrolled in this study, 66 received domperidone, and 84 received erythromycin. The baseline characteristics and comorbidities were not significantly different between the two groups; however, the gestational age at birth of neonates in the domperidone group was significantly lower than that of those in the erythromycin group. The time to establish full enteral feeding did not differ between the domperidone (11 days, “IQR,” [6, 17]) and erythromycin (10 days, IQR [7, 14]) groups (p = 0.622). No major adverse effects were noted. There were only three preterm infants who had elevated liver enzymes in each group, but the difference between groups was not significant. Conclusion: From this study, the efficacy of oral domperidone was promising equivalent to oral erythromycin and seems to be one of the treatment options for feeding intolerance in preterm neonates. However, large randomized, controlled trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of domperidone in this population.