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Optimal nutrition is one of the most important aspects in the care of infants, especially for the preterm infants and neonates. Until the 1900s, an infant's survival and health were closly related to the availability of breastmilk. Human milk was and still is the best food for nearly all infants. Besides physical growth, human milk offers a variety of other benefits, including modulation of postnatal intestinal function, maturation of immune system, and has positive effect on brain development. Even though breastfeeding is highly recommended, it may not always be possible, suitable or adequate. Through history, the evolution of infant feeding included wet nursing, bottle feeding, and formula use. Wet nursing was the safest and most common alternative to the breastmilk before bottles and infant milk formula were invented. However, society's negative view of wet nursing together with the invention and improvements of the feeding bottle, the availability of animal's milk, and advances in milk formula development, gradually led to replacing wet nursing with bottle feeding. Such evolution of infant feeding methods was similar throughout the world and Slovenia followed the trend. In this article, we review the history of different methods of infant feeding, other than breastfeeding, all of which presented an alternative to breastfeeding.

Objective: In adults, improper arterial function has been linked to cognitive impairment. The pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx) and other vascular parameters are useful indicators of arterial health. In our study, we monitored arterial properties, body constitution, school success, and motor skills in young adolescents. We hypothesize that reduced cognitive and motor abilities have a vascular origin in children. Methods: We analysed 81 healthy school children aged 11-16 years. Anthropometry central systolic arterial pressure, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation scores (SDS) BMI, general school performance grade, and eight motor tests were assessed. PWV, AIx, and central systolic arterial pressure (SBPao) were measured. Results: AIx and SBPao correlated negatively with school performance grades. Extremely high AIx, PWVand SBPao values were observed in 5% of children and these children had average to low school performance. PWV correlated significantly with weight, height, and waist and hip circumference. AIx, PWV, school success, and BMI correlated strongly with certain motor functions. Conclusions: Increased AIx and SBPao are associated with lower school and motor performance in children. PWV is influenced by the body's constitution.

Coeliac disease (CD) is associated with alterations of the intestinal microbiota. Although several Bifidobacterium strains showed anti-inflammatory activity and prevention of toxic gliadin peptides generation in vitro, few data are available on their efficacy when administered to CD subjects. This study evaluated the effect of administration for three months of a food supplement based on two Bifidobacterium breve strains (B632 and BR03) to restore the gut microbial balance in coeliac children on a gluten free diet (GFD). Microbial DNA was extracted from faeces of 40 coeliac children before and after probiotic or placebo administration and 16 healthy children (Control group). Sequencing of the amplified V3-V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA gene as well as qPCR of Bidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bacteroides fragilis group Clostridium sensu stricto and enterobacteria were performed. The comparison between CD subjects and Control group revealed an alteration in the intestinal microbial composition of coeliacs mainly characterized by a reduction of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, of Actinobacteria and Euryarchaeota. Regarding the effects of the probiotic, an increase of Actinobacteria was found as well as a re-establishment of the physiological Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Therefore, a three-month administration of B. breve strains helps in restoring the healthy percentage of main microbial components.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess dietary intake of coeliac disease (CD) patients and to determine if they are meeting the dietary reference values for a balanced diet. Subjects/Methods: 40 women with CD, aged from 23 to 76 participated in our study. Total daily intake was assessed by a three-day food diary. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was calculated using Harris-Benedict equation. Considering physical activity level (PAL) 1.4, the recommended total energy expenditure (TEE) value was determined. The data was evaluated with professional evaluation software Prodi and statistically analysed. Results: 40 participants returned the food diary. The average energy intake was significantly too low to ensure the meeting of all-day energy needs (p

Izhodišča: Ulcerozni kolitis (UK) lahko poteka kot akutni zagon s hudo stopnjo vnetne dejavnosti, ki predstavlja življenje ogrožajoče stanje. Kortikosteroidi (KS) v intravenski obliki so zdravilo prve izbire za indukcijo klinične remisije pri akutnem hudem zagonu UK. Pri hudi obliki ulceroznega kolitisa, neodzivni na kortikosteroide, je potrebno kirurško zdravljenje. Bolniki in metode: Prikazan je primer desetletne deklice s hudo obliko na KS neodzivnega ulceroznega kolitisa. Da bi se izognili kirurškemu posegu, smo uvedli zdravljenje z infliximabom. Že po enkratni infuziji infliximaba je prišlo do hitrega izboljšanja kliničnega stanja in remisije bolezni, ki smo jo nato vzdrževali z azatioprinom. Zaključki: Zdravljenje z infliximabom je lahko uspešno pri hudo potekajočem, na KS neodzivnem UK. S tovrstnim zdravljenjem se lahko izognemo kirurškemu zdravljenju (kolektomiji), ki za bolnike predstavlja doživljenjsko invalidnost. Doseženo remisijo vzdržujemo z uveljavljenimi imunosupresivi (azatioprinom ali 6-merkaptopurinom). Background: The natural course of ulcerative colitis (UC) can be complicated with an acute severe attack of high degree of activity of inflammation which represents a life-threatening condition. High-dose intravenous steroids have been the treatment of choice for induction of clinical remission of acute severe attack. In corticosteroid refractory ulcerative colitis a surgical therapy is required. Patients and methods: A case of a ten year-old girl with severe steroid-refractory UC is presented. The treatment with infliximab was introduced with intention to avoid colectomy. After the first infusion of infliximab her condition improved and clinical remission was achieved which was maintained with azathioprine. Conclusions: Therapy with infliximab can be successful for a severe steroid-refractory UC. The patients treated with infliximab can avoid surgical therapy (colectomy) which can represent a life-long disablement. The achieved remission is best maintained with conventional immunosuppressive therapy (azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurin).

Namen: Da bi preverili inhibicijo adhezije C. jejuni, smo v poskusih in vitro testirali različne rastlinske ekstrakte na celičnem monosloju celic PSI cl1, in sicer ekstrakt tropin sorte Modri pinot (GSS), ekstrat oljčnih listov (OE) in timijana (TE) ter njegov preostanek po hidrodestilaciji eteričnega olja (TE-R) ter ekstrakt iz semen rastline Alpinia katsumadai (SEE) in njegov preostanek po hidrodestilaciji eteričnega olja (hdSEE-R). Želeli smo preveriti uporabnost odpadnega materiala in stranskih proizvodov agro-živilstva pri preprečevanju adhezije C. jejuni na celično linijo PSI cl1. Metode: Pred poskusom protiadhezijske učinkovitosti ekstraktov smo preverili njihovo protimikrobno delovanje ter citotoksičnost na celični liniji PSI cl1 in s tem določili koncentracijsko območje za testiranje protiadhezijske aktivnosti uporabljenih ekstraktov. Rezultati: Najučinkovitejša ekstrakta pri preprečevanju adhezije C. jejuni na celice PSI sta bila SEE in hdSEE- R, sledila sta TE in TE-R, ki sta do 30 % zmanjšala adhezijo bakterije na celično linijo. Najslabšo protiadhezijsko učinkovitost je imel ekstrakt GSS. Zaključek: Odpadni materiali (TE%R in hdSEE%R) ter OE, ekstrakt iz stranskega proizvoda agro%živilske industrije, so se pokazali kot zelo uspešni pri preprečevanju adhezije C. jejuni tudi pri zelo nizkih koncentracijah. Obetavni rezultati študije kažejo možnosti uporabe ekstraktov iz odpadnih rastlinskih materialov na različnih področjih, vključno z industrijo in skrbjo za zdravje ljudi in živali.

Dojenje je optimalna prehrana, ki omogoča zdravo rast in razvoj dojenčkov. Obstajajo številni kazalniki, ki govorijo o pozitivnem vplivu dojenja na zdravje otrok, kot tudi pozneje v življenju. Čeprav je dojenje zelo priporočljivo s strani Evropskega Združenja za pediatrično gastroenterologijo, hepatologijo in prehrano (ESPGHAN), Ameriške Akademije za pediatrijo (AAP), Svetovne Zdravstvene Organizacije (SZO), Sklada Združenih narodov za otroke (UNICEF) in številnih drugih, ni vedno izvedljivo, primerno ali ustrezno (npr. pri nekaterih presnovnih motnjah). Materino mleko je bilo in je še vedno najboljša hrana za skoraj vse dojenčke. Skozi zgodovino so dojilje bile najvarnejša in najpogostejša alternativa za materino mleko pred izumom steklenic, dudic ter mlečnih pripravkov za dojenčke. Čeprav so starši odgovorni za izbiro dojiti ali ne, je vloga zdravstvenih delavcev, vključno s pediatri, spodbujanje in podpiranje dojenja. V članku je podan zgodovinski pregled dojenja v Sloveniji ter predstavljen opis socio-ekonomskih razmer v preteklosti.

Vitamin D označuje skupino kemično sorodnih spojin z antirahitičnim delovanjem. Trenutno definiranje optimalnega statusa temelji na določanju serumskih koncentracijah 25%hidroksi vitamina D 25(OH) D. V organizem se lahko vnese s hrano (predvsem mastno ribo, mlekom, z obogatitvenimi živili ter s prehranskimi dodatki), ali pa se sintetizira v koži po izpostavitvi kože soncu. Vlogo in pomen vitamina D so podrobneje preučili pri rahitisu, ki so ga skoraj izkoreninili s dodajanjem vitamina D prehrani. V zadnjem času je prišlo do ponovnega velika zanimanja za vitamin D, ker so številne opazovalne študije dokazale pomembnost vitamina D, ne samo pri zdravi kostni gostoti, temveč tudi pri kardiovaskularnih, nalezljivih, imunskih, metaboličnih, degenerativnih boleznih in raku. Kljub temu imajo številni zdravi otroci in odrasli pomanjkanje, kar je še bolj izraženo pri posameznikih s kroničnimi boleznimi, predvsem pri boleznih gastrointestinalnega trakta. V prihodnosti bo opredelitev različnih funkcionalnih učinkov vitamina D omogočila individualiziran pristop k dodajanju vitamina D glede na zdravstveno stanje in tveganje posameznika za določene bolezni ter njegov odgovor na dodajanje vitamina D.