Probiotics Again

Robert W. Griffith, MD

Some time ago I posted a report of two trials of probiotics, in IBS and IBD, showing their effectiveness in relieving symptoms of these irritable and inflammatory bowel conditions. Other research has now appeared. A report in the British Medical Journal describes a double-blind placebo-controlled study of a probiotic drink containing lactobacillus for preventing diarrhea associated with antibiotic use, including that caused by Clostridium difficile. The subjects (135 hospitalized patients, average age 74, and taking antibiotics for various reasons) entered the study when they were diarrhea-free. Half of them were given a twice-daily probiotic drink that contained Lactobacillus casei, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus . There was a 34% incidence of diarrhea among the participants in the control group, compared with 12% in those taking the probiotics. This translates into a Numbers Needed to Treat (NNT) of 5, i.e. 5 patients would require treatment to prevent one extra case of antibiotic-related diarrhea.

Moreover, 17% of those in the control group developed diarrhea related to C. difficile, vs. no patients in the probiotics group. No adverse effects were reported in any patients. For more information on probiotics, click here.

Source
HealthandAge Blog

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