Cr. Wall et al., THE NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE DIARRHEA IN YOUNG INFANTS - EFFECT OF CARBOHYDRATE INGESTED, Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, 19(2), 1994, pp. 170-174
To compare the efficacy of a low-lactose hydrolyzed milk formula, a la
ctose-free corn syrup-based milk formula, and a standard lactose-conta
ining formula during refeeding after rehydration in infants with gastr
oenteritis, 135 patients older than 2 years were studied by randomized
trial. Clearly demonstrated disadvantages in terms of early weight lo
ss and longer duration of diarrhea were observed with the lactose-base
d formula compared with early weight gains on both the low-lactose for
mulae, and thus the lactose-containing formula was discontinued after
91 patients. The early weight loss with the lactose-containing formula
was statistically significantly related to the degree of relative (re
hydrated) underweight. The two low-lactose formulae were further compa
red in the remaining 44 patients. Early weight gain (48 h) was signifi
cantly greater with the lactose-hydrolyzed formula compared with the c
orn syrup-based formula, but no statistically significant differences
were observed in duration of diarrhea, energy intake, treatment failur
es, or late weight gain. We conclude that the routine use of a low-lac
tose formula during refeeding after rehydration in infants with gastro
enteritis may have some advantages in underweight infants and toddlers
in whom it is important to prevent further weight loss.