Acute diarrhea; role of saccharomyces boulardii in the treatment

ABSTRACT

Acute diarrhea is the fourth-ranking cause of death in children under the age of 5 years. after neonatal causes, malaria, and acute respiratory infections. Objectives: To determine the role of Saccharomyces boulardii in the treatment of acute diarrhea. Design: Comparative study. Period Six months, Mar to Aug 2013. Setting: Pediatric Unit II- Liaquat University Hospital Jamshoro/ Hyderabad. Patients and methods: It consisted of 100 patients, of acute diarrhea with age between 3 months to 5 years reported to pediatric unit and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Cases were given low osmolar ORS, Zinc and Saccharomyces boulardii 250mg twice daily for three days and controls were given low osmolar ORS and Zinc. P-value =0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The results showed that 51 patients were male and 49 patients were female. 27 male patients were in control and 24 were in case group. 23 female patients were in control and 26 were in case group. The overall mean age of study subjects was 26.73+/-12.65 months. Among reported patients most of the patients 84% were reported on 1st day. All reported patients had a complaint of loose motion with 73% also had vomiting. All patients had watery loose motion. The mean duration was 4.20+/-1.70 days with the mean frequency of 9.82+/-6.16 times. Among the patients 96 patients were hospitalized and 97 patients were given I/V fluid. Among reported patients 10 were without dehyderation, 8 had some dehyderation, and 82 had severe dehyderation. 52 had acceptability of probiotics. The results were evaluated according to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day post intervention. Among 50 patients of case group, 18 patients were compliance. 49 patients had decrease in duration. The same results were observed in the decrease in frequency. Consistency was improved in 39 patients. The duration of hospitalization was reduced in 36 patients. It was observed that improvement in the duration, frequency, and consistency was mostly observed on 2nd day of post intervention. Conclusions: The role of S. boulardii as a good biotherapeutic agent allowing to prevent and /or treat several grastrointestinal diseases. In comparison to probiotic bacteria, the use of probiotic yeast is beneficial when the treatment is combined to antibiotherapy