All issues > Volume 48(9); 2005

Original Article

Korean J Pediatr. 2005;48(9):986-990. Published online September 15, 2005.

The Therapeutic Effect of Lactobacillus reuteri in Acute Diarrhea in Infants and Toddlers

Tae-Hun TH Eom¹, Eun-Young EY Oh¹, Young-Hoon YH Kim¹, Hyun-Seung HS Lee¹, Pil Sang PS Jang¹, Dong-Un DU Kim¹, Jin-Tack JT Kim¹, Byung-Churl BC Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Young-Hoon YH Kim ,Email: pedkyh@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: Certain strains of lactobacilli are known to accelerate recovery from acute diarrhea. Lactobacillus reuteri is isolated from human breast milk and a commonly occurring Lactobacillus species with therapeutic potential in acute diarrhea. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of L. reuteri in acute diarrhea in young children.
Methods
: Fifty patients between 6 and 36 months of age hospitalized with acute diarrhea (rotavirus in 40 percent) were randomized into two groups to receive either 108 colony-forming units of L. reuteri or a matching placebo, twice a day for their length of hospitalization, or for up to 5 days. Antidiarrheal drugs were not prescribed to either group. The clinical outcome of diarrhea was evaluated.
Results
: The mean duration of watery diarrhea after initiation of treatment was 2.3 days for the L. leuteri group(n=25) vs. 2.9 days for the placebo group(n=25)(P=0.072). By the second day of treatment, watery diarrhea persisted in 64 percent of patients receiving L. reuteri, compared to 84 percent of those receiving placebo(P=0.006). On the second day, the mean frequency of watery diarrhea was 1.9 in the L. leuteri group and 3.4 in the placebo(P=0.046). Also, vomiting continued to the second day in 16 percent of patients receiving L. reuteri and 40 percent of those recieving placebo(P= 0.031).
Conclusion
: L. reuteri is effective as a therapeutic agent in acute diarrhea in children.

Keywords :Lactobacillus reuteri , Diarrhea , Children