Table 2.
Baseline characteristics. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristics | No | Probiotic group | No | Placebo group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys | 85 | 37 (44) | 82 | 48 (59) |
| Mean (SD) age at study entry (weeks) | 7.5 (2.9) | 6.9 (2.5) | ||
| Mean (SD) birth weight (g) | 3272 (406) | 3426 (421) | ||
| Mean (SD) gestation (weeks) | 38.7 (1.5) | 39.1 (1.4) | ||
| Caesarean delivery | 35 (41) | 32 (39) | ||
| Family history of atopy | 51 (60) | 50 (61) | ||
| Exclusive breast feeding at entry: | 33 (39) | 35 (43) | ||
| Dairy exclusion | 33 | 7 (22) | 35 | 12 (34) |
| Formula use at entry: | 85 | 52 (61) | 82 | 47 (57) |
| Hypoallergenic formula use | 52 | 7 (13) | 47 | 8 (17) |
| Probiotic containing formula use | 52 | 18 (35) | 47 | 15 (32) |
| Any breast feeding at entry: | 85 | 55 (65) | 82 | 54 (66) |
| Probiotic use in any breastfeeding mother | 55 | 12 (22) | 54 | 10 (19) |
| Supplementary probiotic use in infants at entry | 85 | 6 (7) | 82 | 3 (4) |
| Proton pump inhibitor use in infants at entry | 80 | 21 (26) | 68 | 24 (35) |
| Mean (SD) total daily cry/fuss time (min/day): | 75 | 328 (152) | 65 | 329 (126) |
| Fuss time | 153 (107) | 163 (94) | ||
| Cry time | 175 (115) | 166 (93) | ||
| Mean (SD) daily cry/fuss episodes | 10.3 (4.9) | 11.8 (6.3) | ||
| Mean (SD) infant sleep duration (min/day) | 728 (161) | 745 (141) | ||
| Mean (SD) maternal mental health (EPDS score) | 10.5 (4.7) | 10.6 (4.6) | ||
| Mean (SD) family functioning (PedsQL score) | 71.2 (23.9) | 75.2 (21.3) | ||
| Mean (SD) parent quality adjusted life years (AQoL score) | 0.74 (0.2) | 0.74 (0.2) |
EPDS=Edinburgh postnatal depression scale; PedsQL=paediatric quality of life inventory; AQoL=assessment of quality of life.