Tolerance to glucose polymers in malnourished infants with diarrhea and disaccharide intolerance.

The response of infants with diarrhea and lactose intolerance to feedings containing soy protein and sucrose (Sobee), and/or to a carbohydrate free formula (RCF), to which glucose polymers (GP) were added, was assessed in twenty patients. They all were less than ten months of age and had varying degrees of malnutrition. Eleven had acute diarrhea and nine had chronic diarrhea. None of them had classical enteropathogenic strains and parasites in the stools. All had lactose intolerance when feedings were begun with cow's milk formula and some also had sucrose intolerance when fed sucrose containing soy formulas. They had persistent loose stools and excreted feces with an acid pH and with carbohydrates, thus they were given dietary treatment with RCF with GP. There were 9 patients with acute diarrhea and lactose intolerance (1 of them also had sucrose intolerance), who improved on RCF with GP feedings; but 2 patients (lactose and sucrose intolerant) failed to respond to this diet. There were six patients with chronic diarrhea and lactose intolerance (four of them also had sucrose intolerance), who improved on RCF with GP formula, but there were three patients who failed on this treatment. These data show that some infants with diarrhea, malnutrition, and lactose-sucrose intolerance may also develop intolerance to GP and require further dietary management with glucose as the source of carbohydrate in the diet.