Evaluation of Bovine Lactoferrin for Prevention of Late-Onset Sepsis in Low-Birth-Weight Infants: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Sepsis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm and low birth weight (LBW) neonates, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Lactoferrin, a glycoprotein present in breast milk with antimicrobial activity, is a low-cost, readily available, and promising intervention currently under investigation. The available literature presents conflicting results on the impact of lactoferrin on the risk of late-onset sepsis (LOS). This study evaluated the effectiveness of two doses of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) supplementation in preventing LOS and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm and LBW neonates in Pakistan. Methods: A three-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial in the neonatal intensive care unit of Aga Khan University was conducted from July 2019 to August 2020. Preterm (28 to 36+5 weeks gestational age) and low birth weight (≥1000g to < 2500g) neonates who established enteral feeding by 72 hours were eligible. The exclusion criteria included sepsis before randomization, maternal history of chorioamnionitis or group B streptococcus colonization, and congenital anomalies. Enrolled neonates were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio using a computer-generated random allocation sequence to receive placebo (D-glucose), 150 mg bLF, or 300 mg bLF mixed with breast milk once daily for 28 days. The study staff, parents, and outcome assessors were blinded to the allocation. The primary outcome was late-onset sepsis from the trial entry to 28 days. The secondary outcome was NEC from the trial entry to 28 days. Neonates were followed weekly for 28+2 days, and episodes of LOS and NEC were recorded. Results: Of 305 neonates enrolled, 102, 102, 102, and 101 were randomized to receive a placebo (arm A), 150 mg bLF (arm B), and 300 mg bLF (arm C), respectively. Outcome data of 291 participants (99 in arm A, 95 in arm B, and 97 in arm C) were available for inclusion in the intention-to-treat analysis. The frequency of culture-proven sepsis was 8/102 (7.8%) in arm A compared to 1 /102 (0.98%) (p=0.020) in arm B and 5/101 (4.9%) in arm C (p=0.390). We did not find any difference in episodes of NEC between arms A (n=3, 3%) and B (n=0, 0%) (p=0.087) or between arms A and C (n=2, 2%) (p=0.650). We reported compliance rates of 79 (79.79%) in arm A, 78 (82.1%) in arm B, and 82 (84.53%) in arm C for investigational products. Arm C recorded two deaths, but neither was attributed to the intervention. Conclusions: Bovine lactoferrin supplementation may prevent late-onset sepsis in neonates of preterm and low birth weight. However, further trials with larger sample sizes are required to confirm its efficacy in these at-risk groups.