Assessment of circadian rhythm protein levels in the pathogenesis of infantile colic

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Abstract
Objectives: Infantile colic is a common disorder characterized by excessive crying in infants, with its etiology remaining largely unclear. In this study, the potential role of core circadian rhythm (CR) proteins in infantile colic was investigated. Methods: Our study comprised 61 infants aged 0–3 months. Blood samples were collected intravenously from each individual. They were then centrifuged using the appropriate technique and divided into small portions. Cry1, Cry2, Per1, Per2, Clock, and Bmal1 protein levels in plasma samples were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. A detailed questionnaire was administered to address various factors related to both the mother and the infant. The possible relationships between the measured CR protein levels and the gathered natal and sociodemographic data were then assessed using multiple regression analysis. Results: The findings indicate that CR protein levels in infants with colic are significantly different from the control group, suggesting that CR dysregulation may be associated with colic symptoms. Furthermore, correlations were identified between these protein levels and variables, including vitamin D supplementation, nocturnal sleep patterns, the number of siblings, and maternal gestational diabetes. Statistically significant regression models, specifically those incorporating the Per2 variable, elucidated its associations with nocturnal sleep patterns, sibling counts, and gestational diabetes. Conclusions: We argue that restoring CR protein levels to the normal range may improve the prognosis of infantile colic. These findings provide a novel perspective on the potential role of CR proteins in the infantile colic etiology, potentially paving the way for new treatment approaches in this area.

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