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.     

A prospective 10-year study on children who had severe infantile colic

Aim: To evaluate the association between infantile colic and gastrointestinal, allergic and psychological disorders in childhood. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 103 infants aged 31–87 d. After 10 y, between 2001 and 2003, the children were recalled and a paediatrician evaluated the selected disorders by anamnesis, medical examination, laboratory tests and parent interviews. Results: Of the 103 infants enrolled, 96 completed the study. There was an association between infantile colic and recurrent abdominal pain ( p =0.001) and allergic disorders: allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthmatic bronchitis, pollenosis, atopic eczema and food allergy ( p <0.05). Sleep disorders, fussiness, aggressiveness and feelings of supremacy are more frequent in children who suffered from colic during early infancy ( p <0.05). A family history of gastrointestinal diseases and atopic diseases was significantly higher in infants with colic than in controls ( p <0.05).
Conclusion: Susceptibility to recurrent abdominal pain, allergic and psychological disorders in childhood may be increased by infantile colic. Our findings confirm that severe infantile colic might be the early expression of some of the most common disorders in childhood.     

A prospective 10-year study on children who had severe infantile colic

AIM: To evaluate the association between infantile colic and gastrointestinal, allergic and psychological disorders in childhood. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 103 infants aged 31-87 d. After 10 y, between 2001 and 2003, the children were recalled and a paediatrician evaluated the selected disorders by anamnesis, medical examination, laboratory tests and parent interviews. RESULTS: Of the 103 infants enrolled, 96 completed the study. There was an association between infantile colic and recurrent abdominal pain (p=0.001) and allergic disorders: allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthmatic bronchitis, pollenosis, atopic eczema and food allergy (p<0.05). Sleep disorders, fussiness, aggressiveness and feelings of supremacy are more frequent in children who suffered from colic during early infancy (p<0.05). A family history of gastrointestinal diseases and atopic diseases was significantly higher in infants with colic than in controls (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Susceptibility to recurrent abdominal pain, allergic and psychological disorders in childhood may be increased by infantile colic. Our findings confirm that severe infantile colic might be the early expression of some of the most common disorders in childhood.     

Management of infantile colic: a review

Infantile colic is an easily identified childhood entity that has no clear treatment guidelines. The management of infantile colic varies among physicians, and families are often frustrated by the medical community's inability to prescribe a cure for colic. This article reviews the current concepts for management options of infantile colic.     

婴儿乳糖不耐受的诊治研究

婴儿乳糖不耐受(LI)最常见的症状为腹泻,约占婴儿腹泻的46%～70%。LI的腹泻无特异性,单凭临床难以确诊。确诊LI必须有乳糖吸收不良(LM)的客观指标。呼气氢试验、肠黏膜活检、双糖酶测定等方法在国外已开展较多,但均需要一定的仪器设备。最简单的方法为测定粪便中的还原糖。国际上已公认,用Clinitest试剂测定粪糖可作为婴儿LI的粗筛试验。由于Clinitest试剂必须进口,购买不便,国内又先后推出了醋酸铅法、改良班氏试剂法。笔者近年来试用了普通班氏试剂检测婴儿粪糖并与Clinitest试剂进行对照,结果相似。班氏试剂价格低廉,易买易配,各基层单位均能采用,可作为Clinitest试剂的代用品。LI一旦确诊,不论原发、继发均应采用去乳糖饮食疗法。     

Psychosocial distress during pregnancy and the risk of infantile colic: a follow-up study

Aim: To examine the association between psychosocial exposures during pregnancy and the risk of infantile colic. Methods: The study included 378 infants and was conducted as a substudy of the Danish National Birth Cohort from 1997 to 1999, with prenatal data collected twice during pregnancy. A diary with a record for postpartum weeks 4-8 was used to quantify the amount of the infants' crying and fussing. Results: The cumulative incidence proportion of infantile colic was 8.2%. A threefold increased risk of infantile colic (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.1-13.2) was found for mothers who reported distress during pregnancy. Close to a twofold increased risk of IC was found for the women who scored higher than 8 on the psychological distress scale (adjusted OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 0.5-7.2).

Conclusion: The results indicate that general distress during pregnancy influences the risk of infantile colic. Whether or not this relationship is causal requires further investigations.     

Fetal growth and infantile colic

AIM: To describe how fetal growth and gestational age affect infantile colic, while considering other potential risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: A population based follow up study of 2035 healthy singleton infants without any disability born to Danish mothers. Information was collected by self administered questionnaires at 16 and 30 weeks of gestation, at delivery, and 8 months post partum. Infantile colic is defined according to Wessel's criteria, but symptoms are restricted to crying for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, and for more than three weeks. RESULTS: The cumulated incidence of infantile colic was 10.9%. Low birth weight babies (< 2500 g) had more than twice the risk (odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 6.1) of infantile colic when controlled for gestational age, maternal height, and smoking. CONCLUSION: Low birth weight may be associated with infantile colic, and further research will be aimed to focus on fetal growth and infantile colic.     

Aetiological associations in infantile colic: an hypothesis

ABSTRACT. One hundred and thirty consecutively-born babies were studied prospectively to determine whether events during labour could predispose the infant to develop infantile colic. The incidence of colic was 35%. Significant factors in colicky babies were primiparous mothers, prolonged labour, forceps delivery and epidural anaesthesia.     

Mothers' postpartum psychological adjustment and infantile colic

Background

Infantile colic is a common problem of early infancy. There is limited data on the relation between postpartum maternal psychological problems and colic.

Aim:

To investigate whether infantile colic is associated with postpartum mood disorders or insecure adult attachment style of the mother.

Methods

Seventy eight mothers and newborns were enrolled in this prospective, longitudinal study. Maternal depressive symptoms were screened with Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Score (EPDS) and maternal anxiety was assessed with State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The Adult Attachment Scale was used to determine the attachment style of the mother. Infantile colic was defined according to Wessel criteria.

Results

Infantile colic was present in 17 infants (21.7%); 12.9% of the mothers had an EPDS ⩾13. The mean EPDS of the mothers whose infants had infantile colic (10.2±6.0) was significantly higher than that of the mothers of infants without colic (6.3±4.0). Among infants with infantile colic, 62.5% had mothers who had insecure attachment style, whereas only 31.1% of mothers had insecure attachment when the infant did not have infantile colic.

Conclusion

Postpartum maternal depressive symptoms and insecure attachment style are associated with infantile colic. Screening and early intervention of postpartum depression might promote the health of both the mother and infant.