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Aims: The aims of the study were to determine human breast milk adiponectin concentration and to investigate its relationship with serum adiponectin concentration in lactating mothers and their infants and also to evaluate the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration and anthropometric parameters in nurses and infants. Methods: We enrolled 60 healthy term breastfed (BF) infants and their lactating mothers. Adiponectin was determined by radioimmunoassay test in serum and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test in human milk (HM). Infants’ and mothers’ anthropometric parameters were measured. Results: Median (25‰, 75‰) adiponectin concentration in HM was 9.99 (3.59, 20.52) ng/mL. Serum adiponectin concentration in infants was 60.49 (45.76, 74.24) μg/mL and in lactating mothers 21.14 (12.61, 29.66) μg/mL. Adiponectin concentration in HM correlated positively with adiponectin in mothers’ serum; r = 0.60 (p more...

Aim: To evaluate modifications of gut microbiota after antibiotic therapy in breast-fed infants. Study design: Twenty-six exclusively breast-fed infants younger than 5 months hospitalized for pneumonia treated with ceftriaxone (50 mg per kilo per day administered intramuscularly) were recruited. Intestinal microbiota at day 0 – before starting antibiotic administration – at the end of the therapy (5 days after) and after 15 days after the stop was analysed. Stool samples were collected and immediately diluted and cultured on selective media to detect total bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and lactobacilli. Statistical analysis was performed by using Wilcoxon test. Results: After 5 days of antibiotic therapy, we observed a significant reduction in total faecal bacterial count (p = 0.003) in Enterobacteriaceae (p = 0.001) and enterococci (p more...

A study was carried out on 168 full-term infants with digestive problems such as regurgitation and/or constipation to evaluate the efficacy of new infant formulas containing partially hydrolysed whey protein, modified vegetable oil with a high β-palmitic acid content, prebiotic oligosaccharides and starch. Infants receiving the new formulas had an increase in stool frequency of 0.60 between day 1 and day 7 (95% CI0.19-1.01;p=0.004) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.11-0.90;p=0.015) between day 7 and day 14. A reduction of 1.06 in the number of regurgitation episodes was reported between day 1 and day 7 (95% CI 0.24-1.88; p=0.012) and 1.31 (95% CI 0.42-2.21; p=0.005) between day 7 and day 14. Conclusion: A prebiotic mixture ofgalacto-/fructo-oligosaccharides with a high β-palmitic acid content may reduce digestive problems and improve intestinal tolerance in infants during the first months of life. more...

Aim: To establish ghrelin, leptin and IGF-I serum levels in breastfed (BF) and formula-fed (FF) infants during the first period of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on fasting blood venous samples obtained from exclusively BF (n=106) and FF (n=100) infants to measure total ghrelin (RIA test), leptin (RIA test) and IGF-I (chemiluminescence). Anthropometrical measurements of weight, length and cranial circumference were performed. Results: During the first 4 mo of life, FF infants compared to BF ones showed higher ghrelin levels (2654.86 vs 2132.96 pg/ml; p more...

Background: Recently, rice-based formulas have been widely used in hypoallergenic diets, but data on nutritional values are scarce. Aim: To evaluate the growth of infants fed with a rice-based hydrolysate formula, compared to those infants fed with a soy formula or an extensively hydrolysed casein formula, in the first 2 y of life. Methods: A total of 88 infants were enrolled between March 2002 and March 2004. Fifty-eight infants with atopic dermatitis (AD) and cow's milk allergy (CMA), confirmed by open challenge, were enrolled as study group: 15 were fed with a rice-based hydrolysate formula (RHF), 17 with a soy-based formula (SF) and 26 with an extensively hydrolysed casein formula (eHCF). Thirty infants with AD without cow's milk allergy were recruited as a control group (CG) and fed with a free diet. Weight was recorded on enrolment and at 3-monthly intervals in the first year of life, and at 6-monthly intervals in the second year. Infants were weighed naked, before feeding, by means of an electronic integrating scale. The z-scores of weight for age were calculated. Statistics: One-way analysis of variance and Student's t-test were used for statistical comparison. Significance was set at p more...

Optimal early nutritional support is considered a crucial issue in the care of the preterm infant, particularly of those with very low- or extremely low-brithweight. Unfortunately, this goal is seldom satisfactorily attained. Several conditions such as hypoxia, acidosis, patent ductus arteriosus, drug therapy, reduced intestinal motility may interfere with an adequate nutritional delivery in the early neonatal period. Moreover, there is still concern about metabolic and intestinal tolerance of the currently suggested intakes and a lack of uniformity in the nutritional program among different NICUs. Finally, the vast majority of the available preterm formulas are not fully adequate to the real nutritional needs of these infants. Inadequate protein content and inappropriate protein energy ratio of most preterm formulas represent a matter of major concern, since there is a strict relationship between formula composition and the quantity and quality of weight gain. As a consequence there is a need of at least two milk formulas for different preterm infants: one for LBW and VLBW infants, the other for preterm infants weighing >1500 g. more...

Aim: To evaluate the association between infantile colic and gastrointestinal, allergic and psychological disorders in childhood. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 103 infants aged 31-87 d. After 10 y, between 2001 and 2003, the children were recalled and a paediatrician evaluated the selected disorders by anamnesis, medical examination, laboratory tests and parent interviews. Results: Of the 103 infants enrolled, 96 completed the study. There was an association between infantile colic and recurrent abdominal pain (p=0.001) and allergic disorders: allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthmatic bronchitis, pollenosis, atopic eczema and food allergy (p more...

Aim To evaluate serum ghrelin and motilin concentration in infants with infantile colic. Methods A case-control study was conducted on fasting blood venous samples obtained from 18 infants with infantile colic and 20 healthy infants to measure ghrelin (RIA test) and motilin (RIA test). Results Colicky infants showed higher ghrelin serum levels (2534.2 +/- 600.0 pg/ml; ln 7.8 +/- 0.2) than controls (2126.1 +/- 281.3 pg/ml; ln 7.6 +/- 0.1) (p = 0.011). Serum motilin concentration was significantly higher in colicky infants (94.6 +/- 23.2 pmol/l) than in controls (64.1 +/- 30.1 pmol/l) (p = 0.001). Motilin concentrations were higher in formula-fed colicky infants (104.5 +/- 20.4 pmol/l) than in breastfed ones (82.2 +/- 21.3 pmol/l) (p = 0.038). Conclusion Our finding shows that ghrelin and motilin concentrations are higher in infants with colic than in controls, supporting an organicistic aetiopathogenesis of this disorder. Furthermore, the role of ghrelin on gastrointestinal motility may open new doors to better understand the aetiology of infantile colic. more...

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between serum leptin concentration in infants and infant and maternal BMI. Methods: 75 healthy term infants aged 0–12 mo, 51 exclusively breastfed (BF) for at least 4 mo and 24 formula fed (FF), were included in a cross-sectional study. Weight, length and cranial circumference of infants and their mothers were measured, body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the formula weight (kg)/height (m)2 and infant serum leptin concentration was determined. Results: A significant positive correlation between infant serum leptin concentration and maternal BMI was observed in BF infants (r = 0.389, p = 0.005), confirmed in a multiple regression model adjusted for infant age and infant BMI (β = 0.065, p = 0.006), but not in FF infants. As regards the first 4 mo of life, we have already observed a positive correlation between infant serum leptin concentration and maternal BMI in BF infants (β = 0.113, p = 0.005), but not in FF infants. Conclusion: In BF infants, serum leptin concentration correlates positively with maternal BMI. Higher maternal BMI values might increase leptin levels in breast milk, and maternal adiposity could be involved in infant energy balance. more...

Aim: To compare epigastric impedance versus scintigraphy in monitoring the gastric emptying of the same adapted milk formula in infants. Methods: Seven infants with clinical symptoms of gastric motility disease underwent scintigraphy with 99mTc sulphur colloid for the 90 min following the ingestion of the same adapted milk formula, in order to evaluate gastric emptying. A bio-impedance device, connected to a PC, was prepared for this purpose with four standard electrodes placed anteriorly on the upper part of the body. The obtained graphs were compared to those of the scintigraphic method. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation. The confidence limits were set at 95%. Parental consent was obtained before each analysis. Results: The gastric emptying patterns obtained with epigastric impedance were closely correlated to those shown by the scintigraphy (r= 0.86 ± 0.08; p < 0.05). A significant correlation between the gastric emptying velocity measured by the two techniques was found (r= 0.94; p= 0.002). Conclusions: Epigastric impedance in infants provided estimates of gastric emptying that were closely correlated with scintigraphy. However, the limits derived from the epigastric impedance suggest that, at the moment, the two methods should not be used interchangeably. more...