Copyright
©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Meta-Anal. Nov 26, 2013; 1(3): 102-120
Published online Nov 26, 2013. doi: 10.13105/wjma.v1.i3.102
Published online Nov 26, 2013. doi: 10.13105/wjma.v1.i3.102
Preventing pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infections with probiotics: A meta-analysis
Lynne V McFarland, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98101, United States
Shan Goh, Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, United Kingdom
Author contributions: McFarland LV and Goh S contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Lynne V McFarland, PhD, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Metropolitan Park West, 1100 Olive Way #1400, Seattle, WA 98101, United States. lvmcfarl@u.washington.edu
Telephone: +1-206-2771780 Fax:+1-206-7642935
Received: September 13, 2013
Revised: October 12, 2013
Accepted: October 19, 2013
Published online: November 26, 2013
Processing time: 97 Days and 18.7 Hours
Revised: October 12, 2013
Accepted: October 19, 2013
Published online: November 26, 2013
Processing time: 97 Days and 18.7 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: A meta-analysis was conducted (1985-2013) for clinical trials testing probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) or Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). Overall, probiotics significantly reduced the incidence of pediatric AAD (pooled from 22 trials RR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.33-0.53) and significantly reduced pediatric CDI (pooled from five trials RR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.13-0.92). Of the two strains with multiple trials, both significantly reduced pediatric AAD: Saccharomyces boulardii lyo (RR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.32-0.60) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (RR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.19-0.69). There was no significant effect by type of antibiotic, or by duration or dose of probiotic.