Study concludes L. reuteri not effective for infant colic, but findings may be limited by participants' heterogeneity

Commentary on: Sung V, Hiscock H, Tang ML, et al.. Treating infant colic with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: double blind, placebo controlled randomised trial. BMJ 2014;348:g2107. Context Colic is a common problem in healthy, thriving infants that is associated with excessive crying over a regular period during the day and is sustained for the first few months of life.1 Colic affects between 5% and 19% of young infants, remains difficult to treat and may result in significant psychosocial consequences. Despite 40 years of research, the aetiology of infantile colic remains elusive. Recently, the composition of intestinal microflora has been addressed as an independent risk factor for the condition.2 This double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in reducing crying and fussing time in breastfed and bottle-fed children who have colic and are aged less than 3 months....
Source: Evidence-Based Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Immunology (including allergy), Pain (neurology), Stroke, Childhood nutrition, Pregnancy, Child and adolescent psychiatry, Mood disorders (including depression) Therapeutics Source Type: research