title: Fermented cereal with specific bifidobacteria normalizes bowel movements in elderly nursing home residents. A randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess how fermented oat drink with two selected Bifidobacterium longum strains influences bowel movements among elderly nursing home residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  12 wards in two nursing homes in Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  209 residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wards were randomized to receive daily a fermented oat drink with 1) 109 CFU/day Bifidobacterium longum strains or 2) 109 CFU/day Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 or 3) without viable bacteria (placebo) for 7 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regularity of bowel movements (no movements or functioning) and consistency of stools (normal, soft or diarrhoea) were recorded for each resident on a daily basis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fermented oat drinks were well taken by the subjects, compliance being 85%. The groups receiving active products had more frequent bowel movements than did the placebo group (B. longum group normal functioning 28.5% of follow-up days, B.lactis group 26.9%, and placebo group 20.0%, respectively). The differences between the B. longum and the placebo group (mean 7.1, 95% CI 2.3 - 11.9, p=0.004) and between the B.lactis group and the placebo (mean 6.7, 95% CI 2.5 - 10.9, p = 0.002) were significant even when diarrhoea and constipation in the 3 months prior to the study were used as covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to normalize bowel movements in frail nursing home.
authors.affiliation: K.H. Pitkala, Helsinki University Hospital, Department of Medicine, Clinics of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Po Box 340, Fin-00029 HUS, Finland. kaisu.pitkala@kolumbus.fi
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Pitkala
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Strandberg
authors.forename: U H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Finne Soveri
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ouwehand
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poussa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salminen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001628:Beverages; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000502:physiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003248:Constipation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003672:Defecation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000382:microbiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010349:Patient Compliance; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome