Hydrogen noncolicky infants.pdf

Most pediatricians probably define colic more strictly than the authors of this article have done, although the liberal definition has been used in other studies. Nevertheless, the data show a correlation between the amount and frequency of breath hydrogen excretion and the severity of fussiness, and the authors offer possible explanations other than lactose malabsorption. Perhaps generations of mothers and grandmothers who have blamed the problem on gas have been right. We anticipate some letters, and we ask only that they include data, not just opinions. J.M.G. Breath hydrogen response to milk containing lactose in colicky and noncolicky infants D. J. Moore , FRACP, T. A. Robb, BSc, and G. P. Davidson, FRACP, MD From the Gastroenterology unit, Adelaide Childrens Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia In 122 heal thy newborn infants, we studied the relationship b e t w e e n b r e a t h hydrogen (H2) product ion after feedings conta in ing lactose (human milk or commerc ia l formula) in col icky and noncol icky infants at 6 weeks and 3 months. Eighty-three infants (68%) deve loped col ic (mild, moderate, or severe) by 2.6 ? 1.8 weeks of age (mean ? SD). Zero t ime (basel ine) breath H2 values w e r e signif icantly higher in co l icky compared with noncol icky infants at both 6 weeks (40 .6 ? 41.4 vs 14.8 _+ 32.9 ppm) and 3 months (27.7 ? 38.1 vs 8.5 ? 18.2 ppm). There w e r e significantly more posit ive breath H2 tests in col icky com- pared with noncol icky infants at 6 weeks (78% vs 36%) and 3 months (89% vs 45%). Failure to produce H2 throughout the breath H2 test was signif icantly more frequent in noncol icky compared with col icky infants at 6 weeks (50% vs 18%) and 3 months (43% vs 4%). These findings remained significant even when infants with mild col ic (at 6 weeks and 3 months) were inc luded in the noncol icky group. We conc lude that col icky infants produce more breath H2 in the fasting state