Sodium butyrate and short chain fatty acids in prevention of travellers' diarrhoea: a randomized prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Travellers' diarrhoea (TD) remains a considerable concern among international travellers. Known methods of prevention include dietary precautions, administration of vaccines and antibiotic agents.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of sodium butyrate (SB) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in prevention of TD.


METHODS
67 adult patients planning to travel to subtropical countries were originally enrolled in the study. After eliminating 7 patients for not fulfilling the inclusion criteria, 60 patients were randomized into a study group receiving SB with SCFA and a placebo group. Patients were requested to complete previously distributed questionnaire daily. After elimination of 18 patients who did not return questionnaires, 42 patients completed the study (22 study, 20 placebo).


RESULTS
In comparison to the control arm, the study arm noted significantly reduced occurrence of TD (4.5% vs. 40%, p = 0.008), was associated with a significant decrease in number of stools per day in travellers (1.9 vs. 4.2, p = 0.04), as well as a decrease in gastrointestinal symptoms including pain, bloating and nausea with fevers (0.7 vs. 1.4, p = 0.01). We recorded a trend towards decrease in diarrhoea related utilization of medical care in subjects from the study arm. There were no adverse effects noted regarding the use of SB and SCFA.


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of SB with SCFA decreases occurrence of travellers' diarrhoea. It is safe and may constitute a new method of travellers' diarrhoea prevention.
Department of General Surgery, Oncologic Gastroenterologic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland. Electronic address: lkrokowicz@gmail.com.
Lukasz
L
Krokowicz
Holy Family Hospital, SPZOZ Nad Matka i Dzieckiem, Department of Urology, Poznan, Poland.
Bartosz F
BF
Kaczmarek
Department of General and Colorectal Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
Piotr
P
Krokowicz
Regional Specialistic Hospital, Department of General, Vascular and Oncologic Surgery, Slupsk, Poland; Department of Oncologic Surgery, Gdansk Medical University, Gdansk, Poland.
Zoran
Z
Stojcev
Chair of Medical Biotechnology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; Department of Diagnostics and Cancer Immunology, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Poznan, Poland; Department of Medical Oncology, Malgorzata Medical Center, Srem, Poland.
Jacek
J
Mackiewicz
I Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
Jaroslaw
J
Walkowiak
Department of General Surgery, Oncologic Gastroenterologic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
Michal
M
Drews
Department of General Surgery, Oncologic Gastroenterologic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland; NZOZ Profil, Poznan, Poland.
Tomasz
T
Banasiewicz
D020148:Butyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel; D057236:Travel Medicine
D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D020148:Butyric Acid
Short-chain fatty acids; Sodium butyrate; Travellers' diarrhoea