| The Therapeutic Effect of Lactobacillus reuteri in Acute Diarrhea in Infants and Toddlers |
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Tae-Hun Eom, Eun-Young Oh, Young-Hoon Kim, Hyun-Seung Lee, Pil Sang Jang, Dong-Un Kim, Jin-Tack Kim, Byung-Churl Lee |
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Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea |
| 영유아의 급성 설사에서 Lactobacillus reuteri의 치료 효과 |
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엄태훈, 오은영, 김영훈, 이현승, 장필상, 김동언, 김진택, 이병철 |
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가톨릭대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실 |
Correspondence:
Young-Hoon Kim, Email: pedkyh@catholic.ac.kr
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| 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. |
| Key Words:
Lactobacillus reuteri , Diarrhea , Children |
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