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ARTICLE: Glenn R. Gourley, Zhanhai Li, Bill L. Kreamer, and Michael R. Kosorok A Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial of Prophylaxis Against Jaundice Among Breastfed Newborns Pediatrics 2005; 116: 385-391 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Details missing

Nikki Lee   (1 August 2005)

conflict of interest

Valerie W. McClain   (17 September 2005)

Details missing 1 August 2005
Nikki Lee, lactation consultant private practice Send letter to journal: Re: Details missing nleeguitar{at}aol.com Nikki Lee	This study goes into great detail about amounts and contents of supplements, yet there is no mention of how many times a day babies went to breast. DeCarvalho (1982) and Yamouchi and Yamanuchi (1990) published studies showing an inverse relationship between number of breastfeeds in the first days postpartum, and bililrubin levels. Babies that breastfeed more than 9-11 times in 24 hours in the first three days are babies that are kept with their mothers, rooming-in; their bilirubin levels are significantly lower than babies who feed less than 9-11 times in 24 hours. While there are studies showing that breastfed babies have more jaundice, the issue is more of insufficient breastfeeding than anything else. Dr. Lawrence Gartner has been quoted as calling this "lack of breastmilk jaundice". Anecdotally, I have heard that nurseries in Baby-Friendly Hospitals see very few babies with jaundice. Babies in hospitals with the BFHI designation are able to feed frequently because they are with their mothers for enough time. Effective breastfeeding works, in both preventing jaundice and in preventing re-admission for hyperbilirubinemia. Breastfeeding is already proven valid and reliable and free, unlike some new supplement that must be produced and tested, and then sold. . Conflict of Interest: None declared
conflict of interest 17 September 2005
Valerie W. McClain, lactation consultant private practice Send letter to journal: Re: conflict of interest Vwstarfigh{at}aol.com Valerie W. McClain	I do research on the patenting of human milk components and at times for a change of pace look at infant formula patents. This paper by Gourley, Li, Kreamer, and Kosorok just happened to look familiar to me. Glenn R. Gourly and Bill L. Kreamer are inventors to patent # 6,627,213 called "Inhibition of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in breast fed infants," filed in September 28, 2001. It is a patent "for infant supplements containing casein, a salt of casein, whey and/or a casein hydrolysate which are free of carbohydrate, and methods for their use with breast feeding babies." The patent mentions L-aspartic acid and casein hydrolysate as reducing jaundice. It seems to me that having this invention might be considered by some to be a conflict of interest. Conflict of Interest: None declared