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Children with stomach viruses often receive probiotics to reduce the symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. However, a new study has shown that commonly used probiotics are not effective at improving symptoms in young patients with gastroenteritis.
The study was led by the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Washington at St. Louis and its findings were published in the New England Journal. of Medicine.
Gastroenteritis accounts for 1.7 million ER visits and more than 70,000 hospitalizations each year.
The study involved nearly 1,000 children aged three months to four years and focused on the costly and routine use of probiotics – living microorganisms meant to restore the balance of intestinal bacteria and strengthen the system immune.
Participants were eligible if they presented themselves with symptoms of gastroenteritis: fluid stools, vomiting, diarrhea or other signs of acute intestinal infection. They also had not taken any probiotics in the previous two weeks.
"Probiotics have become an increasingly popular way of treating children with acute gastroenteritis. Some smaller studies have indicated that probiotics may be useful, but these studies had a number of limitations. We sought to provide independent and conclusive evidence for or against the use of probiotics in infants and young children with acute gastroenteritis; According to the author of the study, David Schnadower.
A similar study in Canada, also published in the same journal and co-authored by Schnadower, evaluated the effectiveness of a different probiotic in children with gastroenteritis. The findings of this study are consistent with those of the US study.
"Probiotics had no effect on children. It is best that parents save their money and use it to buy more fresh fruits and vegetables for their children, said Phillip I. Tarr, co-author of the US study.
There is no treatment for pediatric acute gastroenteritis other than to give children fluids to prevent. dehydration and sometimes medications to relieve nausea. The lack of options has pushed some doctors and parents to give probiotics to sick children.
Probiotics are generally considered safe. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements such as probiotics as severely as prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.
Consumers around the world spend billions of dollars a year on probiotic fortified foods, as well as over-the-counter supplements in the form of pills and powders.
"Because of the popularity of probiotics, it was important to make sure their use was worth it. In this case, the probiotics provided no measurable benefit and, therefore, they were not worth the extra cost: Schnadower said.
Half of the children in the study were randomly badigned to receive the LGG probiotic twice daily for five days, while the others took a similar placebo with similar taste and appearance .
Otherwise, the children received standard clinical care. Whether children take a placebo or a probiotic, their symptoms and recovery are almost identical. The data showed that diarrhea in both groups of children lasted about two days and that children missed an average of two days of childcare.
"We tested many different scenarios – infants versus toddlers, if the patient had taken antibiotics, if gastroenteritis was caused by a virus or bacteria, and how long the diarrhea lasted. was prior to treatment. The probiotic has also been independently tested for its purity and strength. Each time we came to the same conclusion; Schnadower said. (ANI)
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