A DIFFERENCE IN MORTALITY RATE AND INCIDENCE OF KERNICTERUS AMONG PREMATURE INFANTS ALLOTTED TO TWO PROPHYLACTIC ANTIBACTERIAL REGIMENS

A controlled clinical trial was designed to test the relative effectiveness of two prophylactic antibacterial regimens administered to premature infants in the first 5 days of life. Infants who received penicillin/sulfisoxazole (diethanolamine) died at a significantly higher rate than those who received oxytetracycline. The incidence of kernicterus was significantly higher among infants who received penicillin/sulfisoxazole (diethanolamine).