PEDIATRICS Vol. 48 No. 5 November 1971, pp. 816-821
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Transient Lactose Intolerance in Premature Infants

Felix Abdo-Bassols M.D.1, Fima Lifshitz M.D.2, Ernesto Diaz Del Castillo M.D., and Virginia Martinez-Garza M.D.

1 Hospital de Pediatria, Centro Medico Nacional, IMSS, Mexico D.F., Mexico
2 Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Healthy premature infants have a relative lactase deficiency resulting in a diminished capacity to digest and absorb lactose.1-6 However, milk formula feedings do not result in diarrhea in these babies. On the other hand, infants with significant intestinal lactase deficiency have diarrhea that characteristically improves after elimination of this disaccharide from the diet.7-8 In some of these patients, the illness began at birth and was classified as a congenital defect.9-11

The purpose of this report is to describe two premature infants who presented transient lactose intolerance since birth. The parents of both patients and two siblings of one were also intolerant to this disaccharide.