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Published on: May 30, 2013

Efficacy of tyndalized Lactobacillus acidophilus in acute diarrhea

Vikrant Khanna1, Seema Alam, Ashraf Malik

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, JN Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|January 5, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Tyndalized Lactobacillus acidophilus did not show significant benefits for acute childhood diarrhea. Treatment outcomes, including duration and severity, were comparable to placebo, indicating no added therapeutic value.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Microbiology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Acute diarrhea remains a significant health concern in children worldwide.
  • Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, are explored for their potential therapeutic effects in managing infectious diarrhea.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of tyndalized Lactobacillus acidophilus compared to placebo in treating acute diarrhea in children.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, randomized controlled trial included 98 children aged 6 months to 12 years with acute diarrhea.
  • Participants received either tyndalized Lactobacillus acidophilus or a placebo for 3 days, alongside oral rehydration solution (ORS) and feeds.
  • Intake-output was monitored every 4 hours.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed between the Lactobacillus acidophilus and placebo groups in ORS consumption, stool frequency, diarrhea duration, rehydration time, hospital stay, weight gain, or need for intravenous fluids (IVF).
  • Four treatment failures occurred in the Lactobacillus group versus none in the placebo group, though this difference was not statistically significant.
  • Subgroup analyses for rotaviral diarrhea and diarrhea duration under 60 hours also showed no statistically significant benefits.

Conclusions:

  • Tyndalized Lactobacillus acidophilus does not provide a significant therapeutic benefit for children experiencing acute diarrhea.
  • The findings suggest that this specific probiotic preparation is not effective in improving clinical outcomes for acute childhood diarrhea.
Abstract

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