B 221, a medical food containing antisecretory factor reduces child diarrhoea: a placebo controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether egg yolk in the form of B221 (Salovum), a medical food containing antisecretory factor (AF) might be used for treatment of acute and prolonged diarrhoea.


METHODS
240 children 6-24 months of age, half with acute diarrhoea (<7 days) and half with prolonged diarrhoea (> or = 7 days) were randomly given 2 g of B221 or placebo every 5 h for 3 days, added to an oral rehydration salt solution.


RESULTS
B221 reduced the number of stools in the acute diarrhoea group compared with placebo (day 3, p = 0.0054). Stools normalizing in consistency (day 3, p = 0.053) and recovery within 3 days was commoner in the B221 group (p < 0.001). A successful outcome was recorded in 82.8% in the B221 group, compared to 54.4% in the placebo group. In the group with prolonged diarrhoea the stool consistency normalized earlier in the patients receiving B221 than in the patients receiving placebo (p = 0.008). A successful outcome was obtained in 90.9% and 63.2%, (p = 0.0011) in the B221 and placebo-treated groups respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
B221, which is a medical food, can be used to significantly improve the condition of children with acute, as well as prolonged diarrhoea caused by a broad range of undefined pathogens.
Zaman
Shakila
S
Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan. zaman.shakila@gmail.com
Mannan
Javaria
J
Lange
Stefan
S
Lönnroth
Ivar
I
Hanson
Lars-Ake
LA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002645:Chickens; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010154:Pakistan; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000930:Antidiarrheals; D009479:Neuropeptides; C049628:antisecretory factor