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Background: Infant regurgitation is a phenomenon causing worldwide parental distress and anxiety. Parental reassurance and dietary advices regarding feeding techniques and volumes are helpful in the management. Guidelines also recommend the use of thickened formula. However, the impact of thickened feeding on the frequency of acid reflux is still a matter of debate. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of a casein predominant formula thickened with a specifically selected and treated cornstarch on the frequency and duration of acid reflux episodes., Methods: Ninety-six formula-fed infants with a mean age of 93 days, presenting with episodes of regurgitation and vomiting occurring more than five times a day and with an abnormal oesophageal pH monitoring, were randomised to a regular infant formula (n = 45) or cornstarch thickened casein predominant formula (n = 51) for 28 days. A second pH monitoring was performed at the end of the study period (26+/-5 days). Symptoms were daily recorded in a diary by the parents for 28 days., Results: At inclusion, the pH-metric parameters did not differ between the control and the intervention group. Results of pH monitoring at baseline and at the end of the study did not differ in the control group on the regular infant formula. However, in the group with the casein dominant cornstarch thickened formula, all pH-metric parameters (reflux index (% of the investigation time with a pH < 4.0), number of reflux episodes >5 min, duration of the longest reflux episode) decreased significantly. The frequency of vomiting and regurgitation did not differ between both groups at baseline, remained unchanged in the control group, but decreased significantly in the intervention group., Conclusion: A casein dominant formula thickened with a specifically treated cornstarch reduces oesophageal acid exposure, and reduces the frequency of clinical symptoms.

An open multicenter study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of alginic acid in two different dosages in 76 pediatric patients with gastroesophageal reflux confirmed by pH monitoring. Among the 69 patients in whom endoscopy was carried out before treatment, 18 had erythematous esophagitis and 5 had erosive esophagitis. Irrespective of the dosage used, the frequency of regurgitation and vomiting decreased significantly (p < 0.00001 and p = 0.01, respectively). Clinical and biochemical tolerance were outstanding and no adverse effects were recorded. On the basis of these data, the recommended dosage is 1 to 2 ml/kg/day in divided doses after meals.

Because it offers high sensitivity and specificity, esophageal pH monitoring has become the reference method for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux. This review was undertaken to evaluate methodologic problems raised by this method, involving selection of the electrode, selection of equipment, and criteria of normality according to the patient's symptoms. In some instances, multiple recordings are needed to detect correlations between clinical symptoms and esophageal pH, cardiac and respiratory tracings and esophageal pH, or oxygen saturation and esophageal pH. These studies allow improved qualitative interpretation of results. Emphasis is put on the value of esophageal pH recordings for the evaluation of medical or surgical therapies.

Eighty-three children presenting with symptomatic gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) (48 males, 35 females, aged 15 days to 57 months (mean = 7 months) were assessed by pH monitoring. All showed acid pathological GER on the 3 hours post-prandial esophageal pH measurement (% of time at pH less than 4 greater than 4.2) and all had a second pH measurement within the following 3 hours after intake of a single (5 ml) dose of sodium alginate (AGS). AGS administration was followed by a highly significant reduction (p less than 0.00001) of all pH measurement variables: a) Percentage of time spent at pH less than 4 returned to normal with a mean 11.7% to 4.8%; that is a 52.5% improvement (median); b) Total number of reflux reduced on average from 8.9 to 5.0: that is a 35% improvement (median); c) Mean duration of reflux reduced on average for 4 to 2 min; that is a 60% improvement (median). In 76 patients hourly monitoring of % of time spent at pH less than 4 shows that hourly improvement persists.

We have undertaken a study on continuous pH oesophageal monitoring on children with chronic respiratory symptoms and a gastro intestinal reflux proved by at least one positive test (baryum esophagogram, GE scintiscan, endoscopy). We have compared the data from 16 children with digestive symptoms and 9 controls with no sign of reflux. While all the parameters differs significantly between controls and patients with digestive symptoms, controls and respiratory symptoms, the only difference between "digestive" and "respiratory" patients occurs in the duration of the mean of the nocturnal reflux. Moreover the respiratory patients improved by the reflux symptomatic treatment had a mean duration of nocturnal reflux greater than un improved patients. A mean duration of nocturnal reflux over 4 minutes could have some predictive value.

50 children with a strong clinical suspicion of gastroesophageal reflux and 10 control patients were evaluated with gastroesophageal scintiscans. 500 muCi à 1 mCi of Tc sulfur colloid mixed the patients' routine milk or formula feeding was administered and serial images of the abdomen and thorax were obtained. A positive scintiscan was found in 35 patients (sensitivity 70%) and none of the controls (specificity 100%). A comparison of findings in 34 patients referred for both radiographic and radionuclide studies showed that barium studies were positive in 38% and radionuclide in 64.7%. We found this examination to be more sensitive that the standard barium radiography particularly in patients with respiratory symptoms. We concluded that the GE scintiscan is complementary to barium studies in the diagnosis of GE reflux. Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents was detected in only a case of the 35 patients with documented GE reflux. A T 1/2 emptying gastric longer than 90 minutes (linear calculation) or 105 minutes (exponential calculation) is an indirect GE reflux test. This procedure is simple, safe more physiologic than other available examinations.

Recurrent laryngeal croup (RLC) in children is rarely discussed unless permanent laryngeal obstruction is involved or there is an allergic basis. An atypical case is described where gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) was not only associated with but was also directly related to the provocation of each period. A series of 15 patients with RLC were investigated for the presence of GER, and this was confirmed in 7 cases. These findings suggest that GER may be responsible for the onset of RLC, as is now admitted for numerous respiratory manifestations in children. Moreover, GER may be implicated in the course of various laryngeal obstructive lesions, particularly subglottic angioma.

There were 50 children with a strong clinical suspicion of gastrooesophageal reflux and 10 controls patients evaluated with gastrooesophageal scintiscans. 500 microCi to 1 mCi of Tc sulfur colloïd mixed the patients routine milk or formula feeding was administered and serial images of the abdomen and thorax were obtained. A positive scintiscan was found in 35 patients (sensitivity 70 %) and none of the controls (specificity 100 %). A comparison of findings in 34 patients referred for both radiographic and radionuclide studies showed that barium studies were positive in 38 % and radionuclide in 64,7 %. We found this examination to be more sensitive that the standard barium radiography particularly in patients with respiratory symptoms. We conclude that the GE scintiscan is complementary to barium studies in the diagnosis of GE reflux. Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents was detected in only a case of the 35 patients with documented GE reflux. A T 1/2 emptying gastric more long that 90 minutes (linear calculationation) or 115 minutes (exponential calcul) is an indirect GE reflux test. The diagnostic accuracy of all various procedures is reviewed and the scintigraphy value in the evaluation of GER in infants and children is discussed. This method is simple, safe more physiologic than other available examinations.