Absorption and tolerance of lactose in infants recovering from severe diarrhea.
Nineteen infants were challenged during their convalescence from severe diarrhea with a lactose-containing meal. Twenty-four hour intake, pre- and post-challenge breath H2 levels, clinical responses, and growth were measured at approximately biweekly intervals for 3 months beginning 1 month after hospital discharge. Ten lactose-tolerant infants were assigned randomly to receive one of two formulas similar in composition except for carbohydrates: lactose (Group L) (n = 6) and sucrose (Group S) (n = 4). Infants in Group L had greater intakes and growth rates during the initial 15 days of the study. No difference in weight for age z-scores was detected between groups at the end of the observation period. Infants in Group L had higher baseline and peak breath H2 levels indicating greater colonic carbohydrate fermentation than infants in Group S: however, breath H2 levels were not predictive of tolerance to lactose-containing meals. Carbohydrate absorption by infants in Group S appeared to exceed that of infants in Group L. Thus, colonic fermentation of malabsorbed carbohydrate may have prevented diarrhea and allowed acceptable rates of catch-up growth.
D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy*; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000009:adverse effects; D007785:Lactose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D012119:Respiration
D006859:Hydrogen; D007785:Lactose