Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea by a fermented probiotic milk drink.
OBJECTIVE
To study the preventive effect of a milk drink fermented with multistrain probiotics on antibiotic associated diarrhoea (AAD).


METHODS
Double-blind placebo controlled study.


METHODS
University Hospital of North Norway.


METHODS
Of 853 patients treated with antibiotics, 87 met the inclusion criteria, and were randomized to ingestion of a fermented milk drink containing LGG, La-5 and Bb-12 (n=46) or placebo with heat-killed bacteria (n=41), during a period of 14 days. A diary was recorded, and stool samples were collected for microbiological analyses.


RESULTS
Sixty-three patients completed the study according to the protocol; two patients (5.9%) in the treatment group and eight (27.6%) in the placebo group developed AAD (P=0.035). The relative risk of developing AAD was 0.21 (95% confidence interval: 0.05-0.93) when given probiotic milk drink.


CONCLUSIONS
A fermented multistrain probiotic milk drink may prevent four of five cases of AAD in adult hospitalized patients.


BACKGROUND
TINE BA, Oslo, Norway.
Wenus
C
C
Department of Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsoe, Norway. catrin@wenus.net
Goll
R
R
Loken
E B
EB
Biong
A S
AS
Halvorsen
D S
DS
Florholmen
J
J
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D043302:Cultured Milk Products; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D019936:Probiotics; D012307:Risk Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents