Clinical Characteristics of Infantile Colic

Abstract

Purpose To diagnose infantile colic from parent questionnaires, as well as investiga­ting the risk factors and clinical course of infantile colic. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 462 infants, with a cor­rected age of <4 months at the time of visiting Inha University Hospital from January to December 2017. Parents responded to a 10-­line questionnaire consisting of seven items relating to colic symptoms and three further items relating to underlying disease. The score was based on the number of days each symptom was evident during the preceding week. We defined infantile colic as the sum total being greater than seven points; if at least one of the three symptoms suggesting underlying disease was pre­sent, the infant was excluded from the diagnosis. Results One hundred and sixty­-seven infants (36.1%) satisfied the criteria. The lower the gestational age, the more infantile colic they developed (P<0.001). The prevalence of colic was higher in infants born with a birth weight <2.5 kg (62.7% vs. 24.4%, P<0.001) and in infants small for their gestational age, in the <10th percentile (54.5% vs. 33.7%, P=0.003). The prevalence of colic was significantly different according to the type of feeding (P=0.001), being the lowest in breast­-only feeding (29.8%), 32.8% in mixed feeding with breast milk and formula, and 49.7% in formula­only feeding. Colic symptoms improved by administering hydrolyzed formula (87.5%), low-lactose formula (47.1%), galactosidase (44.4%), and the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri (34.5%). Conclusion The prevalence of infantile colic was over 30%. Prematurity, lower birth weight, and small for gestational age were the risk factors of infantile colic. Clinical improvement was observed when active intervention was performed.

Keywords

• colic
• infant, premature
• infant, low birth weight