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Effects of formula feeding on gastric acidity time and oesophageal pH monitoring data

Y Vandenplas1, L Sacre, H Loeb

  • 1Academic Children's Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.

European Journal of Pediatrics
|November 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Infant feeding formulas impact gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR). Lower fat, higher carbohydrate formulas prolonged gastric acidity, increasing GOR incidence in premature infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infant Nutrition

Background:

  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is common in infants, particularly postcibal (PC).
  • Understanding factors influencing GOR in premature infants is crucial for optimizing feeding strategies.
  • Previous research suggests formula composition may affect GOR, but specific mechanisms require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of different infant formula fat and carbohydrate content on postcibal gastric acidity and gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in premature infants.
  • To determine the relationship between the duration of postcibal gastric acidity and the frequency of GOR events.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind crossover study involving 11 asymptomatic premature infants.
  • Simultaneous continuous gastric and oesophageal pH monitoring during postcibal (PC) and fasting (FT) periods.
  • Infants were fed two formulas with differing fat (2.6 vs 3.6 g/100 ml) and carbohydrate (8.1 vs 7.3 g/100 ml; malto-dextrin 2.8 vs 1.9 g/100 ml) content.

Main Results:

  • Gastric acidity (pH < 4) persisted significantly longer (68 min ± 10) with the low-fat/high-malto-dextrin formula compared to the high-fat/low-malto-dextrin formula (43 min ± 11).
  • Acid GOR events were detected more frequently during PC periods with the low-fat formula.
  • A positive correlation was observed between longer gastric acidity duration and increased PC GOR incidence.

Conclusions:

  • Infant formula composition, specifically fat and carbohydrate content, significantly influences postcibal gastric acidity duration in premature infants.
  • Lower fat and higher malto-dextrin content in formulas are associated with prolonged gastric acidity and increased gastro-oesophageal reflux.
  • These findings suggest that tailored formula selection may help manage GOR in premature infants.

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