Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41803938›Full record

SynthesisActa paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)2026

The Role of Inflammation in Infant Colic-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dan Boëtius Andersen, Julius Fog, Marie V Vestergaard, Ida Scheel Rasmussen, Philip Wilson, Gritt Overbeck, Louise Bidstrup Jørgensen, Jakob Kragstrup, Betina Hebbelstrup Jensen

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Dan Boëtius AndersenDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Julius FogDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0009-0003-2492-4240
Marie V VestergaardCenter for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PREDICT), Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ida Scheel RasmussenDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Philip WilsonDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Gritt OverbeckDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Louise Bidstrup JørgensenDepartment of Public Health, Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0001-8931-5903
Jakob KragstrupDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Betina Hebbelstrup JensenDepartment of Public Health, Centre for General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Funding

Lundbeck Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimDespite being a self-limiting condition, infant colic is associated with negative consequences for caregivers and infants. Gut inflammation is hypothesised as a contributing factor. We collected and meta-analysed the most recent evidence on the association between infant colic and gut inflammation.

methodsA systematic PubMed search was conducted to identify peer-reviewed English language studies about infants with colic regarding their immunological profile. The search spanned from inception to the 24th of February 2024, identifying 124 articles. After exclusions, eight articles were included for analysis. Statistics on faecal calprotectin were extracted from four studies (infant colic = 227, healthy controls = 166) and meta-analysed.

resultsFaecal calprotectin was significantly elevated in infant colic cases in five of six studies covering faecal calprotectin with two studies finding a mean difference exceeding 200 μg/g. The meta-analysis showed a 49.5 μg/g mean difference in faecal calprotectin levels (95% CI = 43-56, p < 0.0001). MCP-1, MIP-1β and IL-8 were elevated in one study with no differences for other biomarkers.

conclusionWe found evidence of an inflammatory response in infant colic supporting the hypothesis that gut inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of infant colic. Faecal calprotectin may become a valuable diagnostic tool for infant colic.

Indexed as

ColicInflammationBiomarkersFecesHumansInfantLeukocyte L1 Antigen ComplexBiomarkersLeukocyte L1 Antigen Complexgut inflammationinfant colicpaediatric diagnostics

Identifiers

PMID41803938
PMCPMC13159779

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.