Cranberry juice for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections: a randomized controlled trial in children.
OBJECTIVE
This study compares the effects of daily cranberry juice to those of Lactobacillus in children with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).


METHODS
Eighty-four girls aged between 3 and 14 years were randomized to cranberry, Lactobacillus or control in three treatment arms: G1, cranberry juice 50 ml daily (n=28); G2, 100 ml of Lactobacillus GG drink on 5 days a month (n=27); and G3, controls (n=29). The study lasted for 6 months.


RESULTS
Only four subjects withdrew: 1/28 (3.5%) from G1, 1/27 (3.7%) from G2 and 2/29 (6.8%) from G3, because of poor compliance to the established protocol. There were 34 episodes of UTIs in this cohort: 5/27 (18.5%) in G1, 11/26 (42.3%) in G2 and 18/27 (48.1%) in the G3, with at least one episode of infection (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that daily consumption of concentrated cranberry juice can significantly prevent the recurrence of symptomatic UTIs in children.
Ferrara
Pietro
P
Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy. pferrara@rm.unicatt.it
Romaniello
Luciana
L
Vitelli
Ottavio
O
Gatto
Antonio
A
Serva
Martina
M
Cataldi
Luigi
L
D000293:Adolescent; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001628:Beverages; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029799:Vaccinium macrocarpon
D028321:Plant Preparations