Effects of carob-bean gum thickened formulas on infants’ reflux and tolerance indices

Table 3 Changes in growth and tolerance indices from baseline to follow-up examination by study group

	Baseline		Follow up		2-wk change		P-value (treatment x time)
	Mean	(SD)	Mean	(SD)	Mean change	(95%CI)
Growth indices
Weight (kg)							0.648
Formula A (n = 16)	5.8	-1.34	6.37	-1.11	0.573	(0.14 to 0.99)3
Formula B (n = 15)	5.36	-1.44	5.91	-1.37	0.51	(-0.06 to 0.96)
Formula C (n = 16)	5.33	-1.73	6.06	-0.97	0.793	(0.35 to 1.22)3
P value (Treatment effect)	0.355		0.40
Length (cm)							0.917
Formula A (n = 16)	61.2	-5.57	63.2	-5.07	1.933	(0.59 to 3.27)3
Formula B (n = 15)	59.4	-6.23	61.5	-6.02	2.073	(0.67 to 3.48)3
Formula C (n = 16)	60.2	-3.76	62.5	-3.53	2.333	(0.96 to 3.70)3
P value (Treatment effect)	0.543		0.631
Tolerance indices
Total number (3 d) of hard stools1							0.723
Formula A (n = 16)	0.5	-2.00	0.48	-1.07	-0.01	(-0.81 to 0.79)
Formula B (n = 15)	0.2	-0.56	0.55	-1.45	0.4	(-0.44 to 1.24)
Formula C (n = 16)	0.13	-0.50	0.17	-0.47	-0.02	(-0.83 to 0.80)
P value (Treatment effect)	0.62		0.291
Total number (3 d) of diarrheic defecations2							0.0153
Formula A (n = 16)	8.38	-11.6	5.31	-5.63	-2.88	(-7.91 to 2.16)
Formula B (n = 15)	5.6	-4.81	10.3	-10.1	5.473	(0.0 to 10.7)3
Formula C (n = 16)	11.1	-10.7	6.77	-6.68	-5.3	(-10.4 to -0.16)
P value (Treatment effect)	0.163		0.176
Total number of defecations (3 d)							0.0033
Formula A (n = 16)	10.7	-10.4	7.59	-4.23	-2.89	(-7.42 to 1.64)
Formula B (n = 15)	7.33	-3.81	12.5	-9.05	6.023	(1.28 to 10.8)3
Formula C (n = 16)	12.8	-9.39	8.07	-5.70	-5.723	(-10.3 to -1.10)3
P value (Treatment effect)	0.153		0.0403
Number of colics per day							0.569
Formula A (n = 16)	3.31	-2.72	1.34	-1.33	-1.993	(-3.02 to -0.95)3
Formula B (n = 15)	4.42	-2.44	1.59	-1.61	-1.873	(-2.96 to -0.79)3
Formula C (n = 16)	2.79	-1.55	1.5	-1.18	-1.243	(-2.30 to -0.19)3
P value (Treatment effect)	0.868		0.735

¹Hard stools are indicative of constipation and were corresponding to the Bristol stool chart types 1 and 2;

²Diarrheic defecations were corresponding to the Bristol stool chart types 5, 6 and 7;

³Indicate statistical significant findings. Adjustment was made for the average volume of milk consumed by infants per day during the intervention period.