Effect of probiotic treatment on acute diarrhea in childhood

Abstract

Probiotics are non-pathogenic live bacteria, grow in the intestines and regulate intestinal micro flora. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of probiotic treatment on acute childhood diarrhea. Through a randomized clinical trial, 80 children classified into two equal groups were recruited. Participants aged between 6 months to 5 years with non-bacterial gastroenteritis admitted to the pediatric wards in Sanandaj city, western Iran. The first and second groups received IV therapy plus probiotic yogurt and only IV therapy, respectively. Of 80 children, 52.5% were female. There were no significant differences before intervention in terms of age, gender, nutrition and severity of diarrhea. Severity of diarrhea was altered by 95% and 27.5% (p=0.0001), and mean (±SD) hospitalization days were 2.42 ± 0.55 and 4.47 ± 1.47 in the first and second groups, respectively. The frequency of hospitalization days due to acute diarrhea, were 2.42 ± 0.55 and 4.47 ± 1.47 in the first and second groups, respectively. Consumption of probiotic yogurt reduces duration, severity and frequency of acute diarrhea in hospitalized children.