Randomized control trial of live Lactobacillus acidophilus plus Bifidobacterium infantis in treatment of infantile acute watery diarrhea.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of live Lactobacillus acidophilus plus Bifidobacterium infantis in the treatment of acute watery diarrhea.


METHODS
Open, randomized control trial.


METHODS
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.


METHODS
Seventy-one infants (aged 1-24 months) with acute watery diarrhea that presented at Department of Pediatrics, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok were enrolled after parental signed informed consent. They were randomized into 2 groups. The Study group (n = 35) received live Lactobacillus plus Bifidobacterium (3 x 10(9) CFU) bid and ORS and the Control group (n = 36) received ORS only. All infants received lactose free milk. Case record forms were completed daily for 5 days by the parents.


RESULTS
All 71 infants completed the present study. There was no difference of the patients'characteristics and baseline clinical symptoms between the study group and the control group. Live Lactobacillus plus Bifidobacterium shortened the diarrhea duration (1.6 +/- 0.7 days vs 2.9 +/- 1.7 days, p < 0.01) compared to controls. However the stool frequency and duration of hospitalization were not significantly different (p > 0.05, study group vs control group).


CONCLUSIONS
Live Lactobacillus acidophilus plus Bifidobacterium infantis may be an effective treatment for acute watery diarrhea in infants. The 2-day course treatment can significantly shorten the duration of diarrhea.
Vivatvakin
Boosba
B
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. fmedbvv@md2.md.chula.ac.th
Kowitdamrong
Ekasit
E
D000208:Acute Disease; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001644:Bifidobacterium; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome