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[Treatment of severe protracted infantile diarrhea with breast milk]
1Klinik für Kinderheilkunde, Medizinischen Akademie Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden.
Insights
Human milk successfully treated severe protracted infant diarrhea and malnutrition in a 1979-1986 study. Some infants required initial total parenteral nutrition for recovery.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gastroenterology
- Neonatology
Context:
- Observational study of 17 infants with severe protracted diarrhea between 1979 and 1986.
- High incidence of severe malnutrition (11/17 infants) and intestinal mucosal lesions observed.
- Investigated treatment efficacy for a specific infant gastrointestinal condition.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of human milk in treating severe protracted infant diarrhea.
- To determine the necessity of adjunctive therapies like total parenteral nutrition.
- To document clinical outcomes in a cohort of affected infants.
Summary:
- All 17 infants with severe protracted diarrhea showed successful treatment outcomes.
- Human milk was the primary successful therapeutic agent.
- Six infants required short-term (3-10 days) total parenteral nutrition before or alongside human milk therapy.
Impact:
- Demonstrates the critical role of human milk in managing severe infant diarrhea and malnutrition.
- Highlights the potential need for nutritional support (TPN) in refractory cases.
- Provides valuable data for clinical guidelines on infant gastroenteritis management.
Abstract:
From 1979 to 1986 we observed 17 infants with a severe protracted diarrhoea. Eleven infants suffered from severe malnutrition. Nearly all patients had lesions of the intestinal mucosa. In all cases treatment with human milk was successful; in 6 infants an initial short-term (3-10 days) total parenteral nutrition was necessary.