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Liquid barium is not representative of infant formula: characterisation of rheological and material properties

Julie Cichero1, Timothy Nicholson, Pamela Dodrill

  • 1School of Medicine, Children's Nutrition Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. j.cichero@uq.edu.au

Dysphagia
|September 11, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Liquids used in infant videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) differ significantly from infant formula. This impacts clinical recommendations for infant feeding and swallowing assessments.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Infant dysphagia assessment often involves videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS).
  • The representativeness of liquids used in VFSS for routine infant feeding has not been previously studied.
  • Accurate assessment requires understanding the rheological properties of tested liquids.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the rheological properties of liquids used in infant VFSS with those of commonly fed infant formulas.
  • To determine if barium-impregnated liquids accurately mimic the properties of infant formula.
  • To inform clinical interpretation of VFSS results.

Main Methods:

  • Viscosity, density, and yield stress of four liquid types were measured using an Advanced Rheometric Expansion System (ARES) rheometer.
  • Liquids tested included regular infant formula, thickened infant formula, antiregurgitation formula, and barium-impregnated liquid (Polibar™).
  • The effect of temperature (heated vs. cooled) on rheological properties was also assessed.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences were observed in viscosity, density, and yield stress between barium-impregnated liquids and all infant formulas.
  • Thickened and unthickened infant formulas also exhibited distinct rheological profiles.
  • Temperature influenced the measured properties of the liquids.

Conclusions:

  • The rheological properties of liquids used in infant VFSS do not accurately represent those of standard infant formulas.
  • Findings suggest a potential discrepancy in interpreting VFSS results and formulating clinical recommendations for infant feeding.
  • Further research is needed to develop more representative contrast agents for infant swallow studies.

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