Changes of intestinal microflorae in infants with congenital anorectal malformation after the surgery：a prospective study

Abstract:

Objective：To observe the changing trends of intestinal microflorae in the postoperative infants with congenital anorectal malformation（ARM）. Methods：Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the numbers of three main intestinal microflorae in stools of 21 congenital ARM infants aged 10 d（the day before discharge），1 month and 3-4 months. The number of microflorae was compared between 21 congenital ARM infants and 21 normal infants. Results：（1）In congenital ARM 10 d group，the number of bifi－dobacteria versus the number of escherichia coli（B/E） was <1；the number of B/E was higher than that of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in congenital ARM 10 d group（P=0.021，P=0.004）；the number of lactobacilli was higher in congenital ARM 10 d group than in normal control group（P=0.001）. （2）B/E was increased in congenital ARM 1 month group（B/E>1） than in congenital ARM 10 d group（P=0.030）. The number of bifidobacteria was increased significantly（P=0.001），higher than that of B/E or lactobacilliin congenital ARM 1 month group（P=0.001 and P<0.001）. The numbers of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli were higher in congenital ARM 1 month group than in normal control group（P=0.004 and P<0.001）. （3）The number of lactobacilli was lower in congenital ARM 3-4 months group than in congenital ARM 1 month group（P=0.005） and there was no difference in the number of lactobacilli congenital ARM 3-4 months group and normal control group（P=0.571）. The number of bifidobacteria was higher in congenital ARM 3-4 months group than in normal control group（P=0.004）. （4）The number of bifidobacteria was higher in infants taking probiotics continuously in con－genital ARM-4 months group than in infants in normal control group（P=0.013） whereas there was no significant difference in the number of bifidobacteria between infants taking probiotics discontinuously in congenital ARM 3-4 months group and infants in nor－mal control group（P=0.032）. Conclusion：（1）B/E is the predominant bacteria and the number of lactobacilli is higher in the con－genital ARM 10 d group. The structure of three main microflorae is different from that in normal control group. （2）Bifidobacteria be－comes the predominant bacteria in congenital ARM 1 month group and normal control group and the number of lactobacilli is still high. （3）The number of lactobacilli is decreased in congenital ARM 3-4 months group. The structure of three main microflorae in congeni－tal ARM 3-4 months group is similar to that in normal control group. （4）Taking probiotics continuously till 3-4 months’ age can keep the high level of bifidobacteria in the intestine.