title: Prophylactic use of a probiotic in the prevention of colic, regurgitation, and functional constipation: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infantile colic, gastroesophageal reflux, and constipation are the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders that lead to referral to a pediatrician during the first 6 months of life and are often responsible for hospitalization, feeding changes, use of drugs, parental anxiety, and loss of parental working days with relevant social consequences.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether oral supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 during the first 3 months of life can reduce the onset of colic, gastroesophageal reflux, and constipation in term newborns and thereby reduce the socioeconomic impact of these conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, multicenter, double-masked, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was performed on term newborns (age <1 week) born at 9 different neonatal units in Italy between September 1, 2010, and October 30, 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents were asked to record in a structured diary the number of episodes of regurgitation, duration of inconsolable crying (minutes per day), number of evacuations per day, number of visits to pediatricians, feeding changes, hospitalizations, visits to a pediatric emergency department for a perceived health emergency, pharmacologic interventions, and loss of parental working days.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 589 infants were randomly allocated to receive L reuteri DSM 17938 or placebo daily for 90 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prophylactic use of probiotic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reduction of daily crying time, regurgitation, and constipation during the first 3 months of life. Cost-benefit analysis of the probiotic supplementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months of age, the mean duration of crying time (38 vs 71 minutes; P < .01), the mean number of regurgitations per day (2.9 vs 4.6; P < .01), and the mean number of evacuations per day (4.2 vs 3.6; P < .01) for the L reuteri DSM 17938 and placebo groups, respectively, were significantly different. The use of L reuteri DSM 17938 resulted in an estimated mean savings per patient of €88 (US $118.71) for the family and an additional €104 (US $140.30) for the community.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prophylactic use of L reuteri DSM 17938 during the first 3 months of life reduced the onset of functional gastrointestinal disorders and reduced private and public costs for the management of this condition.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01235884.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Indrio
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Mauro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Physiopathology, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, IRCCS "Saverio de Bellis," Castellana Grotte, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riezzo
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Civardi
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Ospedale S.S. Annunziata, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Intini
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corvaglia
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ballardini
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, San Giovanni di Dio Hospital, Crotone, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bisceglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ospedale Fracastoro, San Bonifacio, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cinquetti
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Ospedale Sesto San Giovanni, Sesto San Giovanni, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brazzoduro
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Di Venere Hospital, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Vecchio
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Section of Hygiene, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ruggiero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Francavilla
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003085:Colic / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003248:Constipation / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003448:Crying; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D052200:Limosilactobacillus reuteri; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome