NUTRITIONAL-VALUE OF AN ANTI-REGURGITATION FORMULA

Objectives: Anti-regurgitation formulae are recommended in the therape utic approach of regurgitation. However, their nutritional value needs to be evaluated. It is not known whether the addition of (fibers of) bean gum might influence the intestinal absorption of nutrients and mi nerals. Patients: Fourty healthy infants were included in an open rand omised prospective trial, receiving either a regular adapted (casein/w hey ratio 40/60) or an anti-regurgitation (casein/whey ratio 80/20) fo rmula. Results: At the end of the study, at the age of 13 weeks, weigh t and length gain, and most serum parameters (iron, iron binding capac ity, calcium, phophorus, protein, prealbumin, zinc) were comparable in the 20 infants in each group. The mean intake per day was higher in t he anti-regurgitation formula group (755 +/- 55 versus 680 +/- 89 ml/d ay; p < 0.001), resulting in a higher protein intake (12.80 versus 9.5 2 g; p < 0.001), which might explain the increased plasma urea level i n this group (23.1 versus 15.9 mg/dl; p < 0.001). The albumine level, on the contrary, was smaller in the anti-regurgitation group (4.21 ver sus 4.85 g/dl; p < 0.001). Conclusion: All nutrition parameters are wi thin normal ranges, although there are some significant differences be tween both groups (for urea and albumin). However, the formula should also be evaluated in therapeutic conditions in regurgitating babies. D ifferences in intake might be related to the selection of the study po pulation, which were asymptomatic babies.