Prevention of Nosocomial Infections in Critically Ill Patients With Lactoferrin: The PREVAIL Study

Lactoferrin is an 80 kilodalton (kD) naturally occurring multifunctional glycoprotein of the transferrin family which is an important component of the human innate immune system. Lactoferrin is distributed widely in humans with the main sources of production being exocrine glands and specific granules of neutrophils. It is present in virtually all human secretions. The highest concentrations are found in milk and colostrum. Lactoferrin has multiple biological functions which make it of interest as a therapeutic agent in the critically ill. These include the ability to bind iron, antimicrobial activity including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties, the ability to bind endotoxin, promotion of beneficial bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract and immunomodulatory activity.

Sterile water will be utilized as the placebo control in this double blind randomized-controlled trial.