Gut transit time and lactose malabsorption during phototherapy. II. A study using raw milk from the mothers of the infants.

Thirty newborn infants with normal birth weight suffering from uncomplicated hyperbilirubinemia were studied. 15 infants received ordinary phototherapy and 15 intensive phototherapy (blue double light). All infants received their mothers' milk or fresh milk from mothers of other newborn infants of the same age. All infants had normal lactose tolerance test during the phototherapy, except one infant receiving ordinary transit time was relatively long. The gut transit time was significantly shorter in the infants treated with intensive phototherapy than in those treated with ordinary phototherapy without there being any significant difference in the increase in blood glucose by lactose tolerance tests. It is concluded that lactose malabsorption is not the usual cause of the reduced gut transit time during phototherapy even if the infants receive their mothers' milk.