Clinical outcomes of two lactose-free formulas in the management of acute childhood diarrhea

Table 2 Baseline characteristics⁴

Variable	Group MLF (n = 22)	Group SLF (n = 22)	P value
1Gender female	10.0 (45.5)	10.0 (45.5)	1.000
Age (months)	14.5 (10.5)	14.5 (9.8)	0.605
16-12 months	10.0 (45.5)	9.0 (40.9)	0.761
1≥ 13 months	12.0 (54.5)	13.0 (59.1)
Body weight on admission (g)	9950.0 (2991.3)	9900.0 (2340.0)	0.366
2Body length on admission (cm)	76.8 ± 7.7	78.3 ± 6.3	0.208
2Head circumference (cm)	45.0 ± 3.3	45.0 ± 2.5	0.328
Diarrhea parameters before enrollment
Duration of diarrhea (days)	1.0 (1.0)	2.0 (1.0)	0.139
Stool frequency in 24 hours (times)	9.0 (5.5)	7.5 (4.8)	0.493
Stool consistency in 24 hours (mBSFS-C score)	5.0 (0.0)	5.0 (0.0)	0.639
3Infection by stool assessment
1Viral infection (Rotavirus, adenovirus, norovirus)	8.0 (38.0)	7.0 (33.3)	0.506
1Bacteria (Salmonella spp., Aeromonas spp.)	4.0 (19.1)	3.0 (14.3)
1Unidentified infection	9.0 (42.9)	11.0 (52.4)

¹The data are analyzed by the χ² test and presented as a proportion.

²The data are analyzed by an independent t-test and presented as mean ± SD.

³Number of subjects in medium-chain triglyceride-containing lactose-free formula group = 21, standard lactose-free formula group = 21, missing data = 2.

⁴The data are analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test and presented as median (interquartile) unless otherwise specified.

mBSFS-C: Modified Bristol Stool Form Scale for Children; MLF: Medium-chain triglyceride-containing lactose-free formula; SLF: Standard lactose-free formula.