Not All Probiotics Are Created Equal

Two of five probiotic preparations reduced the duration and severity of diarrhea in children.

Probiotics are used increasingly in the treatment of diarrheal illnesses. In a multisite randomized clinical trial, 571 children (age range, 3–36 months) with acute diarrhea who were otherwise well received either oral rehydration solution (ORS) only or ORS followed by one of five probiotic preparations. Diarrhea was defined as three or more outputs of loose or liquid stools per day.

After receiving ORS for 3 to 6 hours, the children were fed formula containing lactose or cows’ milk. Each probiotic preparation was prescribed for 5 days and administered in 20 mL of water according to the manufacturers’ instructions. On the second day of treatment, two probiotic preparations were significantly better than the other three and than ORS alone in …

Reviewing Author

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)