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Meta-Analysis
. 2023 May 19;69(5):e20230071.
doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20230071. eCollection 2023.

Colic and sleep outcomes of nonpharmacological intervention in infants with infantile colic: systematic review and metaanalysis

Doğan Çağrı Tanrıverdi  1 , Aysu Yıldız Karaahmet  2 , Fatma Şule Bilgiç  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Colic and sleep outcomes of nonpharmacological intervention in infants with infantile colic: systematic review and metaanalysis

Doğan Çağrı Tanrıverdi et al. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). .

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically review the colic and sleep outcomes of nonpharmacological intervention in infants with infantile colic and perform a meta-analysis of the available evidence.

Methods: The literature review for this systematic review was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 using five electronic databases, namely PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and ULAKBİM. Published articles were scanned using MeSH-based keywords. Only randomized controlled trials conducted in the past 5 years were included. The data were analyzed using the Review Manager computer program.

Results: This meta-analysis included three studies involving a total of 386 infantile colic infants. After nonpharmacological treatment, it was found that infants with infantile colic reduced crying time (standardized mean difference: 0.61; 95%CI 0.29-0.92; Z=3.79; p=0.00002), improved sleep duration (standardized mean difference: 0.22; 95%CI -0.04 to 0.48; Z=1.64; p=0.10), and decreased crying intensity (mean difference: -17.24; 95%CI -20.11 to 14.37; Z=11.77; p<0.000001).

Conclusion: According to the meta-analysis findings, it was determined that the risk of bias was low in the studies included and that nonpharmacological chiropractic, craniosacral, and acupuncture treatments applied to infantile colic infants in the three included studies reduced crying time and intensity and increased sleep duration.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: the authors declare there is no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. The results of the meta-analysis of the effect of nonpharmacological therapy on infantile colic crying time: (A) post-treatment and crying duration, and (B) post-treatment and crying intensity.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Results of the meta-analysis of the effect of nonpharmacological treatment on infantile colic sleep duration: post-treatment and sleep duration.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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