title: Probiotics for infantile colic: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for the treatment of infantile colic in breastfed Canadian infants, compared with placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted involving 52 infants with colic, according to modified Wessel criteria, who were assigned at random to receive L reuteri DSM 17938 (10(8) colony-forming units) (n = 24) or placebo (n = 28) for 21 days. Daily crying and fussing times were recorded in a structured diary, and maternal questionnaires were completed to monitor changes in infant colic symptoms and adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total average crying and fussing times throughout the study (from baseline to day 21) were significantly shorter among infants with colic in the probiotic group compared with infants in the placebo group (1719 ± 750 minutes [29 ± 13 hours] vs 2195 ± 764 minutes [37 ± 13 hours]; P = .028) (relative risk, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.58-0.98). Infants given L reuteri DSM 17938 showed a significant reduction in daily crying and fussing times at the end of treatment period compared with those receiving placebo (median, 60 minutes/day [IQR, 64 minutes/day] vs 102 minutes/day [IQR, 87 minutes/day]; P = .045). On day 21, a significantly higher proportion of infants in the L reuteri DSM 17938 group responded to treatment with a ≥50% crying time reduction compared with infants given placebo (17 vs 6, P = .035; relative risk, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.55-7.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of L reuteri DSM 17938 significantly improved colic symptoms by reducing crying and fussing times in breastfed Canadian infants with colic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Emergency Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, St Joseph's Health Care, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatric Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yazdani-Brojeni
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatric Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: gkoren@sickkids.ca.
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D002170:Canada; D003085:Colic / Q000628:therapy*; D003448:Crying; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D052200:Limosilactobacillus reuteri; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*