title: Saccharomyces boulardii and bismuth subsalicylate as low-cost interventions to reduce the duration and severity of cholera.
abstract: We conducted a randomised single-blinded clinical trial of 100 cholera patients in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to determine if the probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii and the anti-diarrhoeal drug bismuth subsalicylate (BS) were able to reduce the duration and severity of cholera. Subjects received either: S. boulardii 250 mg, S. boulardii 250 mg capsule plus BS 524 mg tablet, BS 524 mg, or two placebo capsules every 6 hours alongside standard treatment for cholera. The length of hospitalisation plus the number and volume of emesis, stool and urine were recorded every 6 hours until the study subject was discharged (n = 83), left against medical advice (n = 11), or requested removal from the study (n = 6). There were no reported deaths or adverse study-related events. There were no statistically significant differences between the study arms and the outcomes of interest.
authors.forename: Johnathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheele
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cartowski
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dart
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poddar
authors.forename: Shikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stashko
authors.forename: Bhaskara S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Ravi
authors.forename: Crawford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002771:Cholera / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000191:economics; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000191:economics; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012440:Saccharomyces; D012459:Salicylates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012459:Salicylates; C015715:bismuth subsalicylate; D001729:Bismuth
keywords: Bismuth subsalicylate,; Cholera toxin,; Cholera,; Probiotic; Saccharomyces boulardii, Diarrhoea,; Treatment,