L. reuteri in acute diarrhea in infants and toddlers

A prospective, randomised and placebo-controlled study investigating the effect of L. reuteri ATCC 55730 in children hospitalised with acute diarrhoea (rotavirus in 40%).

Fifty children, aged 6–36 months, were randomised to receive L. reuteri twice daily in a dose of 10⁸ CFU for the length of the hospital stay or for up to 5 days, or a matching placebo. Both groups received standard rehydration therapy. The mean duration of watery diarrhoea after initiation of therapy was 2.3 days in the L. reuteri group vs. 2.9 days in the placebo group.

On the second day of treatment significant differences in effect were shown for: watery diarrhoea (persisted in 64% in the L. reuteri group vs. 84% in the placebo group), mean frequency of diarrhoea (1.9 in the L. reuteri group vs. 3.4 in the placebo group) and vomiting (persistent in 16% in L. reuteri group vs. 40% in the placebo group).

Conclusion: L. reuteri was effective as a therapeutic agent in children hospitalised with acute diarrhoea.

Reference

The therapeutic effect of Lactobacillus reuteri in acute diarrhea in infants and toddlers. Eom T-H, Oh E-Y, Kim Y-H, Lee H-S, Yang PS, Kim D-U, Kim J-T, Lee B-C. (2005) Korean J Ped 48:986-989.