Abstract

RIBEIRO, Carla  and  COUTINHO, Sofia. The effect of Lactobacillus reuteri on infantile colic: an evidence-based review. Rev Port Med Geral Fam [online]. 2016, vol.32, n.6, pp.388-394. ISSN 2182-5173.

Objective: To review the evidence for the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri in reducing symptoms of infantile colic. Data sources: National Guideline Clearinghouse, Guideline Finder, Canadian Medical Association, The Cochrane Database, DARE, Bandolier and MEDLINE/PubMed. Methods: A review of clinical guidelines, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled clinical trials, published between August 2005 and August 2015, in both the Portuguese and English languages was conducted. The following MeSH terms were used: ‘Lactobacillus reuteri' and ‘Colic'. For the attribution of levels of evidence and the strength of recommendations, the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy scale was used. Results: Fifty-nine papers were found and eight fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These included two systematic reviews and six randomized controlled clinical trials. Five of the included studies and both systematic reviews found statistically significant improvements in symptoms of colic with probiotic supplementation. One study did not demonstrate the effectiveness of Lactobacillus reuteri in infantile colic. Conclusion: There is evidence for improvement of symptoms of infantile colic with Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation, compared to placebo (Strength of Recommendation A). More good quality studies are necessary to validate these findings and to aid in the formulation of clinical guidelines.

Keywords : Lactobacillus reuteri; Infantile colic.

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