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Probiotics for infantile colic: Is there evidence beyond doubt? A meta-analysis and systematic review.

  • 2023-11-14
  • Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) 113(2)
    • Sáskia Ribeiro Vaz
    • Marise Helena Tofoli
    • Melissa Ameloti Gomes Avelino
    • Paulo Sérgio Sucasas da Costa

Study Design

Type
Meta-Analysis
Population
infants with infantile colic under 3 months
Methods
systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs; electronic systematic literature searches in Embase, PubMed and Web of Science; identified articles published between 1950 and April 2023; included RCTs involving infants with infantile colic under 3 months; treatment plan comprised 15 probiotics (including Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BB-12) alone or with prebiotic vs no intervention or placebo

Aim

This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials that employed probiotics and symbiotics for treating infantile colic.

Methods

We performed electronic systematic literature searches in Embase, PubMed and Web of Science, to identify articles published between 1950 and April 2023. Only RCT involving infants with infantile colic under 3 months were included. The treatment plan comprised 15 probiotics, which included Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BB-12. The probiotics were administered alone or in combination with a prebiotic, vs. no intervention or a placebo.

Results

Probiotics resulted in an average reduction of 51 min of crying per day (p = 0.001). Further analysis of subgroups showed that the reduction was -39.30 min for vaginal delivery (p = 0.003), -64.66 min for Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (p = 0.03), -40.45 min for other strains (p < 0.00001), -74.28 min for exclusively breastfed infants (p = 0.0003) and -48.04 min for mixed feeding (p < 0.00001).

Conclusion

All probiotic strains seem effective in treating infantile colic. Exclusively breastfed infants have demonstrated more significant reduction in crying time. However, the available evidence on the effectiveness of probiotics in formula-fed and caesarean-born infants is limited.

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