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An overview of systematic reviews of complementary and alternative therapies for infantile colic
Rachel Perry1, Verity Leach2, Chris Penfold3
1National Institute for Health Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Nutrition Theme, 3rd Floor, Education & Research Centre, Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS2 8AE, UK. Rachel.Perry@bristol.ac.uk.
Insights
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research for infantile colic shows probiotics, fennel, and spinal manipulation may help. However, more rigorous trials are needed due to concerns about study quality and low confidence in findings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Integrative Medicine
- Evidence-Based Practice
Background:
- Infantile colic is a common, distressing condition in infants, characterized by excessive crying.
- Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently explored for infantile colic relief.
- This research synthesizes current evidence on CAM therapies for infantile colic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To update the evidence synthesis of CAM research literature for infantile colic.
- To determine the available evidence on the effectiveness of CAM therapies for infantile colic.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of multiple databases (Medline, Embase, AMED, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) and grey literature up to September 2018.
- Inclusion of published systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in infants up to one year diagnosed with colic.
- Data extraction and quality assessment using AMSTAR-2 and ROBIS tools by three reviewers.
Main Results:
- Sixteen systematic reviews were included in the analysis.
- Probiotics, fennel extract, and spinal manipulation show potential benefits for colic symptoms, but with remaining concerns.
- Acupuncture and soy therapies are not currently recommended; most reviews had high/unclear risk of bias and low confidence.
Conclusions:
- Larger, methodologically sound RCTs are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of certain CAM therapies for infantile colic.
- Further research should specifically investigate probiotics for non-breastfed infants experiencing colic.
Background:
Infantile colic is a distressing condition characterised by excessive crying in the first few months of life. The aim of this research was to update the synthesis of evidence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research literature on infantile colic and establish what evidence is currently available.
Methods:
Medline, Embase and AMED (via Ovid), Web of Science and Central via Cochrane library were searched from their inception to September 2018. Google Scholar and OpenGrey were searched for grey literature and PROSPERO for ongoing reviews. Published systematic reviews that included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of infants aged up to 1 year, diagnosed with infantile colic using standard diagnostic criteria, were eligible. Reviews of RCTs that assessed the effectiveness of any individual CAM therapy were included. Three reviewers were involved in data extraction and quality assessment using the AMSTAR-2 scale and risk of bias using the ROBIS tool.
Results:
Sixteen systematic reviews were identified. Probiotics, fennel extract and spinal manipulation show promise to alleviate symptoms of colic, although some concerns remain. Acupuncture and soy are currently not recommended. The majority of the reviews were assessed as having high or unclear risk of bias and low confidence in the findings.
Conclusion:
There is clearly a need for larger and more methodologically sound RCTs to be conducted on the effectiveness of some CAM therapies for IC. Particular focus on probiotics in non-breastfed infants is pertinent.
Systematic Review Registration:
PROSPERO: CRD42018092966.
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