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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 Nov 14;11(11):2762.
doi: 10.3390/nu11112762.

Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis: Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for Treating Acute Gastroenteritis in Children. An Update

Bernadeta Patro-Gołąb  1 , Hania Szajewska  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis: Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 for Treating Acute Gastroenteritis in Children. An Update

Bernadeta Patro-Gołąb et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

The effectiveness of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (L. reuteri) for the management of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) has been recently questioned. We performed a systematic review to update evidence on L. reuteri for treating AGE in children. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library databases, and additional data sources from January 2016 (end of search for our 2016 systematic review) to August 2019. The primary outcomes were stool volume and duration of diarrhea. Four RCTs were included. None of them evaluated stool volume. Compared with placebo or no treatment, L. reuteri reduced diarrhea duration (four RCTs, n = 347, mean difference, MD -0.87 days, 95% CI [-1.43, -0.31]). L. reuteri use was also associated with a reduced duration of hospitalization (three RCTs, n = 284, MD -0.54 days, 95% CI [-1.09, 0.0]). The small effect sizes of limited clinical relevance and methodological limitations of the included trials should be noted when interpreting these findings.

Keywords: children; diarrhea; infants; microbiota; probiotics; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ declaration of personal interest: H.S. has served as a speaker for companies manufacturing probiotics, including L. reuteri DSM 17938. H.S. is one of the investigators in a clinical trial on L. reuteri DSM 17938 included in this review. B.P.G. declares no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
L. reuteri DSM 17938 versus control. Duration of diarrhea and hospitalization (days).
Figure 2
Figure 2
L. reuteri DSM 17938 versus control. Cure on any given day.
Figure 3
Figure 3
L. reuteri DSM 17938 versus control. Number of watery stools.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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