All issues > Volume 30(2); 1987

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1987;30(2):144-149. Published online February 28, 1987.

The Influence of Breast Feeding on Clinical Course in HRV Gastroenteritis.

S K Lee¹, H S Kim¹, C M Kang¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Keimyung University, School of Medicine, Taegu, Korea

Abstract

A total of 183 infants under the age of one year which were diagnosed as having HRV gastroenteritis at Pediatric Department, Keimyung University, Dong San Medical Center were studied to determine whether breast feeding can influence the incidence and the clinical course of the disease during the first year of life. Among 183 infants, 62 were breast-fed, 77 were formula-fed, and 44 were fed with breast and formula feeding (mixed feeding). There was no significant difference between groups in the average age of the infection, 7.9 months in the breast-fed, 7.4 months in formula-fed and 7.7 months in mixed-fed infants but 40.3% of formula-fed infants were under 6 months of age contrast to 19.3% of breast-fed infants. The duration of the diarrhea was longer in formula-fed infants showing average 10.2 days in formula-fed and 7.0 days in breast-fed infants but there was no difference between groups in mean number of bowel movement. The frequency of vomiting was relatively decreased and the respiratory symptoms were slightly increased in the breast-fed infants. Otherwise nQ significant differences between groups in other clinical symptoms such as fever, irritability and dehydration. The results of this study suggest that breast feeding exerts a little beneficial effects on the incidence of infection and the clinical course of HRV gastroenteritis in infants in regards of reducing the incidence of infection below 6 months of age and reducing the duration of diarrhea.

Keywords :Human Rotavirus, Gastroenteritis, Breast feeding.