Clinical efficacy of Saccharomyces boulardii and metronidazole compared to metronidazole alone in children with acute bloody diarrhea caused by amebiasis: a prospective, randomized, open label study
Dinleyici EC, Eren M, Yargic ZA, Dogan N, Vandenplas Y
Published in Am J Trop Med Hyg, Vol. 80 (6), pp. 953-5
Methodology
Prospective, randomised, open-label trial in 50 children with acute bloody diarrhoea caused by Entamoeba histolytica. Both groups received metronidazole; one group (n=25) also took S. boulardii 250 mg twice daily for 7 days. Children were reassessed on days 2, 3, 5, 10 and 30.
Key Findings
Bloody diarrhoea lasted 42.2 h with S. boulardii vs 72.0 h with metronidazole alone (P<0.001). On day 5 cysts had cleared in every child taking the yeast but persisted in 6 controls (P<0.05). By day 10 all children were cured and cyst-free.
Conclusions
Adding S. boulardii to metronidazole shortened bloody diarrhoea and sped cyst clearance, without changing the final cure rate.
Limitations
Open-label with no placebo; small; single research group; the benefit was in speed of recovery, not in the final outcome.
Supplements Studied
significantly decreases duration of (bloody) diarrhea and enhances clearance of cysts
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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