title: [Which treatments for infantile colics?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infantile colics or excessive crying represent a source of stress for parents and a frequent reason for encounter in primary care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of treatments of this syndrome from a systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline, Cochrane and Embase databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the following inclusion criteria: therapeutic assessment of infant colics or excessive crying, randomized controlled trials or meta-analyses, published in English or French language. Thirty-one randomized controlled trials and one meta-analysis have been included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Allopathic drugs have not proved effectiveness (simethicone, lactase) and some of them can cause potentially serious adverse reactions (dicyclomine). Protein hydrolysate or soy formulas seem to be effective, but soy milk can induce allergies. Sucrose solutions provide some benefit in studies with low level of evidence. Effectiveness is likely for a probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri) and for herbal mixtures containing fennel extracts. Evidence is lacking for manual (osteopathy, acupuncture) and behavioural therapies (decreased stimulations, reassurance of parents).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The definition of infantile colics and the methods used for crying measurement changed across trials. The included trials were of variable quality, especially with no double-blind procedure in 17 trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most validated treatments for infantile colics are the substitution of cows' milk by a hydrolysed formula, the use of L. reuteri and of fennel extracts.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon 1, département de médecine générale, 69373 Lyon cedex 08, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bruyas-Bertholon
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lachaux
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fourneret
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Letrilliart
mesh_terms: D003085:Colic / Q000151:congenital / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome