A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 9 studies with a total of 189 infants. Most participants were greater than 30 weeks gestational age at birth and were clinically stable. Taurine was given enterally with formula milk in 8 studies (intervention was continued for between three weeks and four months). One small trial assessed parenteral taurine supplementation for 10 days. Taurine supplementation increased intestinal fat absorption (WMD 4.0 percent of intake, 95% CI 1.4 to 6.6). However, meta-analyses did not reveal any statistically significant effects on growth parameters assessed during the neonatal period or until three to four months chronological age: rate of weight gain (WMD -0.25 grams/kilogram/day, 95% CI -1.16 to 0.66); change in length (WMD 0.37 millimetres/week, 95% CI -0.23 to 0.98); change in head circumference (WMD 0.15 millimeters/week, 95% CI -0.19 to 0.50). There are very limited data on the effect on neonatal mortality or morbidities, and no data on long-term growth or neurological outcomes.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment, lack of blinding), by indirectness (no data for long-term outcomes) and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison). The authors conclude that despite the lack of evidence of benefit from randomised controlled trials, it is likely that taurine will continue to be added to formula milks and parenteral nutrition solutions used for feeding preterm and low birth weight infants given the putative association of taurine deficiency with various adverse outcomes.
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