Evaluation of yogurt effect on acute diarrhea in 6-24-month-old hospitalized infants

Yogurt helps in treatment and prevention of diarrhea. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of consumption of local factory yogurt, which is made with pasteurized milk, on moderately dehydrated hospitalized infants aged 6-24 months with acute non-bloody and non-mucoid diarrhea. Eighty moderately dehydrated breast-feeding children aged between 6-24 months with acute non-bloody and non-mucoid diarrhea for fewer than four days were included in the study. Patients were randomly separated into two groups according to their treatment. Infants in the case group received at least 15 ml/kg/day of pasteurized cow milk yogurt orally plus routine hospital treatment. Infants in the control group received routine hospital treatment as in the case group. Weight gains, period of hospitalization, and reduction in diarrhea frequency during hospitalization period of the two groups were compared. Mean duration of hospitalization (days), weight gain, and reduction in diarrhea frequency were 2.7 +/- 0.91 vs 3.1 +/- 0.74 days, 435 +/- 89.20 vs 383 +/- 98.9 g, and 4.30 +/- 1.74 vs 3.60 +/- 1.23 times for case and control groups, respectively. Significant differences were observed in mean hospitalization days (p=0.035), reduction in diarrhea frequency (p=0.049) and weight gain (p=0.017). This study recommends universal use of yogurt in acute non-bloody diarrhea.