[Effect of cimetropium bromide in the treatment of colic in the first 3 months of life. Randomized study]

Abstract

20% of unweaned children aged below three months suffer from so-called gaseous colic. The effectiveness and tolerance of an antimuscarinic drug with high spasmolytic activity on the smooth visceral musculature, cimetropium bromide, has been evaluated, excluding cases of intolerance to cow's milk and other pathologies. 40 random patients of both sexes of average age 4.4 weeks (symptoms lasting for one week with crying fits lasting for more than 90 minutes consecutively, on at least 3 days a week) split into two groups of 20 patients each were studied.

Treatment: A) 1.2 mg/kg 1 hour before bottle; B) 2.0 mg/kg 1 hour before bottle. Speedy reduction in the number of crying episodes (Group A: from 2.8 +/- 0.3 to 0.1 +/- 0.1; Group B: from 2.8 +/- 0.4 to 0.6 +/- 0.4; differences n.s.) and in their duration (Group A: 99 min +/- 10 min to 5 min +/- 3 min; Group B: from 121 min +/- 11 min to 15 min +/- 9 min; differences n.s.). The pharmacological treatment was considered: Group A: very good in 75% of cases; Group B: very good in 70% of cases. In Group B 4 episodes of stypsis occurred and these resolved immediately upon suspension of the drug. Given the equal effectiveness and better tolerance, the use of cimetropium bromide is recommended at the lower dosage.