EFFECTIVENESS OF PROBIOTICS IN REDUCING THE DURATION OF ACUTE DIARRHEA IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS
Main Article Content
Keywords
Acute diarrhea, probiotics, pediatric patients, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, treatment outcomes, children, diarrhea management
Abstract
Background: Acute diarrhea is a public health issue in children below five years, particularly in lower and middle socio-economic countries. Though oral rehydration therapy is routinely administered to prevent dehydration and relieve one's thirst, it does not manage the duration of the ailment an individual suffers from. In particular, probiotics supplements have been proposed as an adjunct therapy due to their ability to enhance gut flora and recovery processes. The main objective of this study was to analyze the role of probiotics in ameliorating the duration of acute diarrhea in children managed at a tertiary hospital.
Methods: An observational study was conducted between January 2023 and January 2024 at the Northwest School of Medicine with the Northwest Hospital and affiliated clinics. In this study, 89 children aged from 6 months to 5 years and having acute diarrhea were enrolled. Participants were segregated into two groups i.e., those who received probiotics along with standard treatment and those who underwent standard treatment only. Clinical data was collected at the onset, and results were evaluated through measuring the duration of diarrhea, time to the first formed stool, length of hospital stay, and requirement of intravenous fluid. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with p values under 0.05 regarded as statistically significant.
Results: Children who received probiotics had a significantly shorter duration of diarrhea (mean: 2.4 days) compared to the control group (mean: 3.3 days; p < 0.001). They also passed their first formed stool earlier than the control group. Although there was a trend toward shorter hospital stays and reduced need for intravenous fluids in the probiotic group, these differences were not statistically significant. No serious adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: Probiotic therapy reduced the duration and improved recovery in pediatric patients with acute diarrhea. It was safe and well tolerated, thus providing value in addition to the conventional treatment strategies.
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Dr Mohammad Arif
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, North West General Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Kamran
SR Pediatrics, North West General Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Mamoona Gul
Resident Paediatrician, North West General Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Rehman Ali
Resident Pediatrician, North West General Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Faheem
Resident Pediatrician, North West General Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan
Dr Huma Iftikhar
Resident Pediatrician, North West General Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan