PC28 EFFECT OF A NEW INFANT FORMULAE ENRICHED PREBIOTICS, PROBIOTICS, NUCLEOTIDES AND LC-PUFA???S ON INFANTS RECOVERY AFTER AN INFECTION

Abstract

Introduction: During first years of life, infections are one of the main causes of pathology. In this population, infections can produce lack of appetite, decrease in nutrients absorption and disturbances in fecal microflora. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a new infant formulae enriched with prebiotics, probiotics, nucleotides and LC-PUFA’s with a low lactose content in infant recovery after different kind of infections (respiratory, digestive. . .). Methods: A multicentric, randomised, prospective outpatients clinical trial was conducted. 68 infants younger than 12 months with a non-severe infectious process were included in the study and distributed in 2 groups: control group and RE group. Infants younger than 4 months were fed with an infant formulae and infants from 5 to 12 months with a follow-on formulae. Control group infants were fed standard infant and follow-on formulae. RE group infants were fed with infant and follow-on formulae enriched with prebiotics (galactooligosaccharides, nucleotides and LC-PUFA’s and with a low level of lactose. Follow-on formula used in the feeding of infants of RE group contained also probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium infantis). Clinical symptoms and duration if the infection was recordered at days 0, 5, 10 and 15 to know the evolution of infants recovery. Results: The time of recovery of appetite was lower in RE group than in Control group (p<0,001) and also the weight recovery (p<0,0001). Appetite was recovered in day 6 in infants of RE group and in day 11 in Control group. Weight recovery took place in the 5th day in RE group and in day 12 in the Control group. Group RE showed a statistically significant reduction in the duration of digestive symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoeas (p=0,04) in comparison with Control group. The mean duration of diarrhoeas in Control group was of 9 days and 4,8 in RE group. Taken into account all the variables analysed, the global recovery of infants need a shorter period of time in group RE than in Control group (7,5 days for group RE and 11,7 days for Control group, p=0,0003). Conclusion: The new range of infant formulae enriched with prebiotics (galactooligosaccharides), probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium infantis), nucleotides and LC-PUFA’s with a low level of lactose has demonstrated to be useful in infant feeding for achieve a complete and fast recovery of infants suffering digestive or respiratory infections.