Efficacy of Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii as an Adjuvant Therapy in Acute Childhood Diarrhoea

Abstract

Introduction: Administration of S. boulardii in addition to rehydration therapy in diarrhea found to be beneficial in many aspects owing to a variety of causes and importantly it is was not associated with any adverse effects.Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective study of children suffering from acute diarrhoea, at a private tertiary care hospital. Children were divided into 2 groups randomly as per odd(Group 1 ) and even (Group 2) bed allotted in indoor at the time of admission: Group 1 included children on oral rehydration therapy (ORT) + Zinc + Saccharomyces boulardii (Probiotic 5 billion CFU twice daily) and Group 2 comprised of children on ORT+ Zinc. Our objective was to systematically review data on the effect of S. boulardii on acute childhood diarrhoea.Results: Out of a total of 126 children less than 2 years, 2-6 years and 6-14 years were 72 (57.14%), 42(33.33%) and 12(09.52%) respectively. The duration of diarrhoea in Group 1 was 26.31 hours and Group 2 was 47.81 hours (p<0.01). The frequency of diarrhoea showed improvement within 24 and 72 hours in Group 1 and Group 2 respectively (p<0.01).Similarly, the mean duration of hospital stay was 2.68 days in Group 1 and 4.8 days in Group 2.The treatment cost was INR 850 and INR 1650 while social cost was INR 1250 and 2600 in Group 1 and 2 respectively.Conclusion:This study shows that S. boulardii reduced the duration, frequency and hospital stay of diarrhoea thereby reducing the treatment and social costs.J Nepal Paediatr Soc 2016;36(3):250-255

Retrospective analysis of EMR database to assess the effectiveness of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 in children with acute diarrhoea during routine clinical practice

“…This was similar to the findings in the RCT study conducted by Das et al., wherein the median duration (hours) of diarrhoea was significantly less in the S. boulardii group (60 versus 89; 95% CI –41.2 to 16.8) compared with the control group [ 10 ]. The same is observed in the RCT carried out by Dash et al., in which the duration of diarrhoea was comparatively less (26.31 versus 47.81 hours) in the group given S. boulardii than the control group [ 13 ]. Another study, by Riaz et al., purported that the duration of diarrhoea was significantly less in the group given S. boulardii by 11.9 (52.1 versus 64.0) hours when compared with the control group [ 14 ].…”

Specific Probiotics for the Treatment of Pediatric Acute Gastroenteritis in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Studies included in the systematic review (n = 22 RCTs, N = 4059 participants) included 5 single‐strain probiotics and 3 multi‐strained mixtures (Table 1) (43–64). Five types of probiotics were excluded from the meta‐analysis (60–64), as they lacked at least 1 confirmatory trial, resulting in 17 RCTs for the meta‐analysis (20 treatment arms) for 3 probiotics: Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I‐745 (9 RCTs), Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) (6 RCT, 7 arms), and a 4‐strain mixture of Bacillus clausii O/C, SIN, N/R, T (4 RCTs).…”

“…The rapidity of a response was different by the type of probiotic, but not all trials provided data for this outcome (see Table, Supplemental Digital Content 7, Rapidity of Response, http://links.lww.com/PG9/ A46). In 3 RCTs with S. boulardii CNCM I-745 (43,46,48), the number of stools/day were equivalent at day 1 and day 3, but by day 4, the mean number of stools was significantly fewer for S. boulardii compared with controls (SMD, -0.61 stools/day; 95% CI, -1.06 to -0.17…”

Systematic review with meta‐analysis: Saccharomyces boulardii for treating acute gastroenteritis in children—a 2020 update

“…Ultimately, 29 RCTs that randomised 4217 participants (2152 in the experimental group and 2065 in the control group) were included . .…”

“…Data regarding therapy‐related adverse events were collected in nine studies . In eight of these trials, adverse events were not observed, and in one trial, a single patient in the S boulardii group reported a meteorism .…”