Lactobacillus GG and acute diarrhoea in young children in the tropics

Abstract

A prospective, placebo controlled, triple blind clinical trial was undertaken in Thailand to determine the effect of Lactobacillus GG on recovery from acute diarrhoea in children. Thirty-nine children (mean age=8 months) were enrolled and following rehydration received either oral Lactobacillus GG (n=20) as a freeze-dried preparation or placebo (n=19) twice daily for 2 days. The clinical characteristics of the study groups were similar. There was no significant difference overall in clinical response detected between the study groups. When only those with acute non-bloody diarrhoea (n=26) were considered, the mean duration of diarrhoea was significantly shorter in the lactobacillus group (1.9 days) than in the placebo group (3.3 days) (PPLactobacillus GG accelerates recovery from acute watery diarrhoea in young children in a tropical setting.