Following its publication in the European Journal of Pediatrics,[i] AB-BIOTICS will share the results from its latest clinical study on AB-KOLICARE® at the World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (WCPGHAN), a prestigious scientific conference for pediatric healthcare professionals taking place in Buenos Aires 4-7th December 2024.
WCPGHAN presents a unique opportunity for healthcare professionals to come together and learn about the latest innovations in this field, through an impressive lineup of events and discussions. This year, AB-BIOTICS is proud to host an exclusive symposium focused on the potential of probiotic solutions to support infant health with Dr. Rodrigo Vázquez Frías, President of the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
Titled: New Insights on Infant Colic: From Pathophysiology to Comparative Probiotic Studies, and taking place in room C1, 8:15am on 6 December 2024, AB-BIOTICS’ sessions will focus on the latest discoveries around the role of probiotics in colic pathophysiology and discuss the latest clinical research:
- ‘Infant Colic and the Role of Probiotic Strains as First-Line Treatments’, with speaker, Dr. Rodrigo Vázquez Frías, Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Nutritionist at the National Institute of Health Federico Gómez Children’s Hospital of Mexico and President, Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (LASPGHAN).
- ‘Head-to-head evidence in infant colic: a randomized study of B. longum KABP-042® plus P. pentosaceus KABP-041® vs L. reuteri DSM17938’, with speaker Jordi Espadaler Mazo Ph.D, Director of Innovation at AB-BIOTICS.
Understanding colic: It all starts in the gut
Infant colic, affecting around 20% of babies up to five months of age, is a type of functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) characterized by inconsolable crying or fussing with no apparent cause.[ii],[iii] Research on the infant microbiome has shown that colic is associated with an altered gut microbiota, high in levels of Enterobacteria and low in levels of healthy bacteria, Bifidobacteria.[iv]
Probiotics offer a promising solution to re-establish a balanced infant gut microbiome, and with advanced probiotic blends like AB-KOLICARE ®, play an important role in supporting intestinal barrier integrity. One of the most commonly used probiotic for infant colic currently is L. reuteri DSM17938.[v] However, AB-BIOTICS’ probiotic blend– AB-KOLICARE® – which combines Bifidobacterium longum KABP®-042 and Pediococcus pentosaceus KABP®-041 also demonstrates robust efficacy in infant colic.[vi], [vii] But which probiotic provides the fastest and most effective relief for colicky infants?
AB-KOLICARE® demonstrates superior efficacy in supporting infant colic
After oral supplementation of L. reuteri DSM17938 or AB-KOLICARE® in 112 colicky infants over a 21-day period, infant response rate and daily crying and fussing times were assessed on days 7, 14 and 21.
While both probiotics demonstrated excellent tolerability with no serious adverse effects, AB-KOLICARE® outperformed L. reuteri DSM17938 in treating infant colic. Specifically, before supplementation average crying time for both groups was registered at 270 minutes per day. However, after one week of treatments, crying time averaged 180 minutes with L. reuteri DSM17938 (registering a reduction of 90 min) and 120 minutes with AB-KOLICARE® (registering a reduction of 150 minutes).
Strength in design: Research you can trust
This new clinical study stands out for its robust design and reproducibility. Inclusion of two different ethnicities (Caucasian and Hispanic) demonstrated AB-KOLICARE®’s consistent efficacy across diverse populations, with no initial differences observed at the study baseline between these groups. Moreover, the response rates for both probiotic groups aligned with previously published results, reinforcing the reliability of the data. These factors contribute to a high level of confidence in the study’s results and their applicability to a broader infant population.
[i] Moreno-Villares et al., Comparative efficacy of probiotic mixture Bifidobacterium longum KABP042 plus Pediococcus pentosaceus KABP041 vs. Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM17938 in the management of infant colic: a randomized clinical trial. European Journal of Pediatrics (2024).
[ii] Benninga MA, Nurko S, Faure C, Hyman PE, St James Roberts I, Schechter NL (2016) Childhood functional gastrointestinal disorders: Neonate/toddler. Gastroenterology 150:1443-1455.e2. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2016.02.016
[iii] Vandenplas Y, Abkari A, Bellaiche M, Benninga M, Chouraqui JP, Osatakul S, Salvatore S, Shamir R, Staiano A, Szajewska H, Thapar N (2015) Prevalence and Health Outcomes of Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Infants From Birth to 12 Months of Age. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 61:531–537.
[iv] Zeevenhooven et al. Nature Revievs Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2018) 15:479–496
[v] Vaz SR, Tofoli MH, Avelino MAG, da Costa PSS. Probiotics for infantile colic: Is there evidence beyond doubt? A meta-analysis and systematic review. Acta Paediatr. 2024 Feb;113(2):170-182.
[vi] Astó E, Huedo P, Altadill T, Aguiló García M, Sticco M, Perez M, Espadaler-Mazo J. Probiotic Properties of Bifidobacterium longum KABP042 and Pediococcus pentosaceus KABP041 Show Potential to Counteract Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in an Observational Pilot Trial in Infants. Front Microbiol. 2022 Jan 12;12:741391.
[vii] Chen et al., Frontiers in Pediatrics. (2021) Infantile Colic Treated With Bifidobacterium longum CECT7894 and Pediococcus pentosaceus CECT8330: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
