META-ANALYSIS OF PROBIOTICS FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ACUTE PEDIATRIC DIARRHEA

ABSTRACT Pediatric diarrhea is the most common cause of global mortality in children under five years of age. The use of probiotics for this disease remains controversial. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of probiotics for the treatment and prevention of pediatric diarrhea based on published randomized, controlled clinical trials. Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, NIH registry of clinical trials and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 1973-2005, unrestricted by language. Secondary searches of reference lists, authors, reviews, commentaries, associated diseases, books and meeting abstracts were also made. Inclusion criteria included: randomization, controlled, blinded, efficacy trials, in humans, peer-reviewed journals. Results: 39 (24%) of 160-screened studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and included a total of 41 probiotic treatment arms. The poole