An extensively hydrolysed cow's milk formula improves clinical syntoms of gastroesophageal reflux and reduces the gastric emptying time in infants

Background: About 20 % of infants fed with breast-milk substitutes suffer fram Gastro Esophageal Reflux (GER) and 1/3 of them also show Cow's Milk Allergy (CMA) symptoms. Methods: We planned this study to assess by dynamic echography the usefulness of an Extensfvely Hydrolysed Cow's Milk Formula (eHF) in infants suffering from GER. Ten infants showing GER symptoms and 10 normal babies, all fed with breast-milk substitutes, were enrolled. Clinical symptom scores related to GER were assessed for one week. The Gastric Emptying Time (GET) was determined by means of dynamic echography after feeding with cow's milk-derived formulae and again after a week feeding with eHF in subjects previously showing GER symptoms. Results: All infants with a clinical diagnosis for GER showed an abnormally high average GET in comparison to normal subjects (205 vs 124 min, p = 0.000). Switching to the eHF led to a significant clinical improvement (p = 0.0039) especially in babies skin-test and RAST positive to cow's milk, and to a significant decrease toward the normal value of the GET (167 min, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The eHF tested improves GER symptoms in infants suffering from this disease. Our experience confirms and supports the use of dvnamic echography as a reliable, simple, and non-invasive diagnostic method for infants with an increased GET associated with clinical symptoms of GER.