Probiotics for Diarrhoea in Children
Author Information
Author(s): Minaz Anmol, Alam Ridwa, Jiwani Uswa, Vadsaria Khadija, Khan Ahmad, Ishaq Aqsa, Sultan Samar, Mohsin Marium, Sharif Ashraf, Nisar Yasir Bin, Das Jai K, Soofi Sajid, Ariff Shabina
Primary Institution: Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
Hypothesis
Are probiotics effective in treating acute or persistent diarrhoea in children aged 0-10 years?
Conclusion
Probiotics show low certainty of evidence for improving clinical cure and reducing the duration of diarrhoea in children.
Supporting Evidence
- Probiotics were more likely to achieve clinical cure compared to control in some studies.
- Probiotics reduced the duration of diarrhoea by approximately 16 hours in the probiotic group.
- High levels of heterogeneity reduced the certainty of evidence.
- WHO does not currently recommend probiotics for diarrhoea management.
Takeaway
Probiotics might help kids with diarrhoea, but we aren't sure how well they work because the evidence is not strong.
Methodology
A systematic review of randomized controlled trials assessing probiotics for diarrhoea in children aged 0-10 years.
Potential Biases
High risk of bias in several studies, particularly regarding randomization and outcome measurement.
Limitations
High statistical heterogeneity and low certainty of evidence due to variability in study designs and outcomes.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 0-10 years, with a total of 17,236 participants across 98 studies.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI varies by outcome
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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