Data from: Feeding intolerance alters the gut microbiota of preterm infants

Feeding intolerance (FI) is a common disease in preterm infants, often
causing a delay in individual development. Gut microbiota play an
important role in nutrient absorption and metabolism of preterm infants.
To date, few studies have focused on the community composition of gut
microbiota of preterm infants with feeding intolerance. In this study, we
collected fecal samples from 41 preterm infants diagnosed with feeding
intolerance and 29 preterm infants without feeding intolerance, at three
specific times during the development and prevalence of feeding
intolerance (after birth, when feeding intolerance was diagnosed, after
feeding intolerance was gone), from different hospitals for 16S rRNA gene
sequencing. The gut microbiota community composition of preterm infants
diagnosed with feeding intolerance was significantly different from that
of preterm infants without feeding intolerance. At the time when feeding
intolerance was diagnosed, the relative abundance of Klebsiella in preterm
infants with feeding intolerance increased significantly, and was
significantly higher than that of the preterm infants without feeding
intolerance. After feeding intolerance was cured, the relative abundance
of Klebsiella significantly decreased in the infants diagnosed with
feeding intolerance, while the relative abundance of Klebsiella in preterm
infants without feeding intolerance was not significantly altered during
the development and prevalence of feeding intolerance. Furthermore, we
verified that Klebsiella was effective in the diagnosis of feeding
intolerance (AUC = 1) in preterm infants, suggesting that Klebsiella is a
potential diagnostic biomarker for feeding intolerance.