Effects of lactose-restricted regimen in breastfeeding children with acute diarrhea

Abstract

Background: Acute diarrhea is a major cause of mortality in children. Few studies have addressed the administration of lactose-restricted diets in breastfed children with acute diarrhea. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of a lactose-restricted regimen on breastfed children with acute diarrhea treated with zinc supplements. Methods: The present single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on children aged 6-24 months in Amirkola Children's Hospital (2015-2017). 90 children were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A was daily treated with 20 mg of zinc and a lactose-restricted diet and breast milk for two weeks. Group B received 20 mg of zinc and breast milk and an age-appropriate diet for two weeks. The data collected in all the subjects included the frequency of diarrhea and the mean duration of hospitalization and recovery from diarrhea. Results: The two groups were not significantly different in terms of mean age, weight and ratio of males to females. The mean duration of hospitalization was found to be 3.1 ± 0.8 days in group A and 3.2 ± 0.6 in group B ( P = 0.3), the mean duration of recovery to be 2.9 ± 0.8 in group A and 2.6 ± 1.1 in group B ( P = 0.2) and the mean frequency of diarrhea 2.9 ± 0.7 in group A and 2.8 ± 0.8 days in group B ( P = 0.5), suggesting no significant differences between the two groups. No adverse effects associated with zinc therapy were reported. Conclusions: A lactose-restricted regimen was found not to be beneficial for children with acute diarrhea under continuous breastfeeding and zinc therapy.

Lactose Free-Milk for Young Children with Acute Diarrhea, Western of Iraq

“…However, it doesn't reduce the duration of diarrhea. Therefore, other therapeutic mea-sures, adding to the ORS are widely assessed [14].…”

“…This single-blind randomized controlled trial study was done on children ≤ 2 years-old who visited the Pediatric outpatient clinic or emergency department in Al-Ramadi Maternity and Childhood Teaching Hospital in Ramadi city, Iraq. Those children were presented with acute diarrhea (the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day less than two weeks duration) [14]. The study was covered for 6 months from the first of January 2020 to the first of July 2020.…”

Efficacy of Lactose-Free Milk in Treating Acute Gastroenteritis in Vietnamese Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…A meta-analysis by MacGillivray et al found that lactose-free products may reduce the duration of diarrhea by an average of about 17.7 hours (95% CI: 10.2-25.3 hours) [11]. In contrast, a number of studies reported that feeding children lactose-free milk did not appear to change the duration of diarrhea [12][13][14][15]. Therefore, the use of lactose-free milk for children with acute gastroenteritis remains controversial.…”