title: A randomized controlled trial of Lactobacillus GG in children with functional abdominal pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to determine whether Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) relieves symptoms in children with recurrent abdominal pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 141 children with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional pain were enrolled in 9 primary care sites and a referral center. Children entered a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and received LGG or placebo for 8 weeks and entered follow-up for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was overall pain at the end of the intervention period. At entry and at the end of the trial, children underwent a double-sugar intestinal permeability test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with baseline, LGG, but not placebo, caused a significant reduction of both frequency (P < .01) and severity (P < .01) of abdominal pain. These differences still were significant at the end of follow-up (P < .02 and P < .001, respectively). At week 12, treatment success was achieved in 48 children in the LGG group compared with 37 children in the placebo group (P < .03); this difference still was present at the end of follow-up (P < .03). At entry, 59% of the children had abnormal results from the intestinal permeability test; LGG, but not placebo, determined a significant decrease in the number of patients with abnormal results from the intestinal permeability testing (P < .03). These effects mainly were in children with IBS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LGG significantly reduces the frequency and severity of abdominal pain in children with IBS; this effect is sustained and may be secondary to improvement of the gut barrier.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biomedicine, Gastroenterology Section, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. rfrancavilla@libero.it
authors.forename: Ruggiero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Francavilla
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Miniello
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Magistà
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Canio
authors.forename: Nunzia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lionetti
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castellaneta
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polimeno
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peccarisi
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Indrio
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cavallo
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D052201:Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus; D008297:Male; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome