Effectiveness of casein hydrolysate feedings in infants with colic.

This study found that two casein hydrolysate formulas varying in composition were equally effective in managing colicky symptoms associated with protein sensitivity. Both hydrolysate formulas were associated with a significant, comparable reduction in crying duration and intensity from baseline in 15 of 22 infants with complete data. Subsequent challenge data suggest that the population studied were infants experiencing colicky symptoms due to protein sensitivity. A greater proportion of infants showed a positive reaction (> or = 1.5 h of crying/d) to the protein challenges than the placebo challenge, and crying was rated as more intense during whey and milk protein challenges.

Breastfeeding patterns: comparing the effects on infant behavior and maternal satisfaction of using one or two breasts.

In the Western world advice given by breastfeeding consultants about the use of one or two breasts at each feed has resulted in apparently arbitrary changes over time. This study compared 1-month-old breastfed infants' reactions to single- and two-breast feeds in terms of restlessness, crying, sleeping, and frequency of feeds, wet diapers, and loose stools. Eighty mothers were randomly assigned at the maternity ward, 44 to the single-breast group and 36 to the two-breast group. At one-month follow-up no differences between the groups were seen regarding any infant behavior variables, or in terms of maternal satisfaction, confidence, and mood throughout the full 24-hour observation period or during a 6-hour period in the evening. Compliance with the assigned feeding method was better in the two-breast than in the one-breast group. This may partly be due to tradition, since the two-breast practice has been recommended by child health nurses in Sweden for over 50 years. It seems reasonable that a baby should be allowed to finish the first breast and, if still hungary, be offered the second breast. The baby's appetite is the deciding factor.

Motilin and infantile colic. A prospective study.

Two hundred and nineteen infants, consecutively born, took part in a prospective study of infantile colic from birth to 12 weeks of age. The prevalence of infantile colic in this group was 17.4%. S-motilin was studied in 78 term infants (19 with and 59 without infantile colic) at birth (cord blood), at one day, and at 6 and 12 weeks of age, respectively. Basal motilin levels were raised both in cord blood (p less than 0.01) and in blood from neonates (p less than 0.001) who developed colic as well as in 6 week (p less than 0.05) and in 12-week-old infants with colic (p less than 0.01). Formula-fed infants with colic had higher basal motilin levels than formula-fed controls at 6 and 12 weeks of age (p less than 0.05). Breast-fed infants with colic had higher basal motilin levels than breast-fed controls at 12 weeks of age (p less than 0.05). The raised levels of motilin from the first day of life in infants who develop infantile colic might indicate that the gastrointestinal tract is affected in infants with infantile colic, before any symptoms of colic appear.

Macromolecular absorption in infants with infantile colic.

Intestinal absorption of macromolecules, using human alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-LA) as a marker, was studied in breast-fed and formula-fed infants with infantile colic. Serum samples taken at 30 and 60 min after an intake of human milk were analyzed for alpha-LA by a competitive radioimmunoassay technique. Breast-fed infants with infantile colic had significantly higher s-alpha-LA levels compared with age-matched breast-fed control infants 0-1 month of age: median value 926 micrograms alpha-LA/l serum/l human milk/kg bodyweight (n = 11) versus 150 (n = 34); 1-2 months of age: 173 (n = 22) versus 31 (n = 16); 2-3 months of age: 132 (n = 8) versus 11 (n = 16). Similarly, formula-fed colicky infants had significantly higher s-alpha-LA levels than age-matched formula-fed control infants 1-2 months of age: median value 126 (n = 12) versus less than 10 (n = 14); 2-3 months of age: 156 (n = 11) versus less than 10 (n = 10). The increased absorption of the macromolecule human alpha-lactalbumin in infantile colic suggests that the gut mucosa is affected in infants with infantile colic.

Cow's milk whey protein elicits symptoms of infantile colic in colicky formula-fed infants: a double-blind crossover study.

There are several causes of infantile colic. The aim of this study was to evaluate, under controlled conditions, whether bovine whey proteins can elicit symptoms of infantile colic in colicky formula-fed infants. The mean age for entering the study was 6.4 weeks and the mean age for colic debut was 3.7 weeks. In 24 of 27 infants with severe colic, the symptoms disappeared when they were given a cow's milk-free diet (Nutramigen). These 24 infants were entered into a double-blind crossover study. The infants (receiving cow's milk-free diet) were given the contents of identical capsules with each meal during day 6. The same procedure was repeated on day 10. The capsules contained either whey protein powder (with Nutramigen added) or human albumin powder (with Nutramigen added). Eighteen infants receiving the whey protein-containing capsules reacted with colic, two infants receiving placebo reacted with colic (P less than .001), and four infants did not react at all. Crying hours per day for the 24 infants were 5.6 hours for formula-fed infants and 0.7 hour for cow's milk-free diet-fed infants (P less than .001). Crying hours per day were 3.2 hours for the infants receiving whey protein capsules and 1.0 hour for those receiving placebo (P less than .001). In conclusion, bovine whey protein can elicit symptoms of infantile colic in colicky formula-fed infants.

Motilin, vasoactive intestinal peptide and gastrin in infantile colic.

Intestinal hyperperistalsis is one part of the clinical picture in infantile colic. Three gut hormones involved in the regulation of gut motility; motilin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and gastrin, were measured with the RIA method in: 40 infants with infantile colic, (age 2-22 weeks), 42 healthy age-matched infants, 11 children (age 3-36 months) with gastrointestinal disorders, and 20 children (age 3-36 months) with non-gastrointestinal disorder. Basal s-motilin levels were raised in infants with infantile colic (p less than 0.01) and in children with other gastrointestinal disorders (p less than 0.001). Formula-fed infants had higher basal s-motilin levels than the breast-fed infants (p less than 0.05). P-VIP and s-gastrin levels were raised in children with other gastro-intestinal disorders (p less than 0.05), but not in infantile colic. Formula-fed colicky infants had higher s-gastrin levels than the breast-fed colicky infants (p less than 0.05). We suggest that the increased s-motilin level in infantile colic might account in part for the clinical picture of this disorder.

Human alpha-lactalbumin as a marker of macromolecular absorption.

alpha-Lactalbumin was purified from human milk and a competitive radioimmunoassay for measuring serum concentrations of human alpha-lactalbumin was developed. Human alpha-lactalbumin was not detected (less than 5 micrograms/l) in serum from adult men (n = 4), non-pregnant women (n = 6) or in serum from seven of eight formula fed infants. alpha-Lactalbumin was found in serum from pregnant women (19-130 micrograms/l, n = 4), cord blood (22-72 micrograms/l, median value 35 micrograms/l, n = 9), and from newborn non-fed infants (less than 1 day old) (less than 5-50 micrograms/l, median value 15 micrograms/l, n = 11). In breast fed infants the serum concentration of alpha-lactalbumin was highest in preterm infants (140-952 micrograms/l serum/l human milk/kg body weight, n = 4) and decreased in term infants successively with maturity (age 5-30 days: median value 85 micrograms/l serum/l human milk/kg body weight, n = 7; age 31-60 days: median value 43, n = 6; age 61-135 days: median value 12, n = 6). A human milk feeding to three infants one month of age gave serum peak values of alpha-lactalbumin after 30 to 60 minutes. We suggest that human alpha-lactalbumin is a suitable marker for investigating macromolecular absorption in physiological and pathological conditions.

Cow's milk formula as a cause of infantile colic: a double-blind study.

The role of cow's milk in infantile colic in formula-fed infants was estimated in a double-blind study. Sixty colicky infants were given a cow's milk-containing formula (Enfamil) and a cow's milk-free formula based on soy (ProSobee). Eleven infants (18%) were free of symptoms while receiving soy formula. Symptoms of 32 infants (53%) were unchanged or worse when they were fed cow's milk formula and soy formula, but symptoms disappeared when they were fed a formula containing hydrolyzed casein (Nutramigen). Symptoms of 17 infants (29%) could not be related to the diet; these infants were permitted to continue on a cow's milk-based formula. A challenge with cow's milk-based formula after one month (at approximately age 3 months) produced symptoms of infantile colic in 22 infants (36%). At age 6 months, a challenge with cow's milk was positive in 11 infants (18%) with epidermal and gastrointestinal symptoms. Eight infants (13%) at 12 months of age and five infants (8%) at 16 months of age were still intolerant to cow's milk. Cow's milk seems to be a major cause of infantile colic in formula-fed infants. A dietary treatment is suggested for moderate or severe forms of the colic. Cow's milk protein intolerance is common later in infancy in these infants.