Preventive effects of oral probiotic on infantile colic: a prospective, randomised, blinded, controlled trial using Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938.

Infants were recruited in four centres in North-West Italy. 138 infants were assessed for eligibility, 113 ones underwent randomisation and 105 completed the study. Newborns aged less than 10 days of life, with gestational age between 37 and 42 weeks, birth weight from 2,500 to 4,300 g and normal physical examination were recruitable. Premature infants and infants affected by outcomes of perinatal hypoxia or necrotising enterocolitis have been excluded. Patients were randomly assigned to receive five drops containing Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (108 cfu) with 400 UI of vitamin D3 or only 400 UI of vitamin D3 daily. The primary endpoints concern the administration of pain relieving agents (cimetropium bromide at least three times per week or simethicone at least five times per week) from baseline to 12 weeks. Additional analyses were done on the percentage of infants that switched from an exclusive breastfeeding to a partial or exclusive formula feeding from baseline to 12 weeks. Data concerning the number of calls to the paediatricians and the number of visits at paediatricians' ambulatories due to infantile colic have been collected by paediatrician and analysed. Comparing the two groups, the relative risk was 0.04 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.01-0.31) for cimetropium bromide, 0.24 (95% CI=0.14-0.41) for simethicone and 0.37 (95% CI=0.17-0.80) for the administration of infant formula, showing a protective action of L. reuteri. The treatment group showed a lower number of paediatric consultations related to episodes of infant colic than the control group (P<0.0001). L. reuteri DSM 17938 supplementation at the tested dosage could reduce parental discomfort due to infantile colic. The consumption of this probiotic is associated with a reduction of paediatric consultations for infantile colic, as well as use of pain relieving agents and of infant formula.

[The chronically ill patient in the emergency department: management during simultaneous acute diseases]. / Il malato cronico in Pronto Soccorso: gestione in corso di patologia acuta intercorrente.

The chronically ill patient admitted to an Emergency Department or to a Pediatric Emergency Unit for an intercurrent acute episode is rare but requires adequate management. Aim of this study is to evaluate the health care needs of these patients vs patients with exclusively acute disease and to underline the need of identifying criteria for health care taking into account basic clinical conditions. This study can be carried out most suitably at the Gaslini Institute, since it is a children's hospital with a Pediatric Emergency Department admitting children from the Liguria region presenting almost the whole range of chronic pediatric diseases.