EFFICACY OF PROBIOTICS IN REDUCING ANTIBIOTIC-ASSOCIATED DIARRHEA IN CHILDREN

Objectives: The objective is to identify the optimal probiotic strains and dosage schedules and to comprehensively evaluate the impact of probiotics in reducing the frequency, severity, and duration of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in children. Materials and Methods: At a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan, 200 children between the ages of 1 and 12 who had taken antibiotics participated in the current study, which was a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Two groups of participants were created, one for the probiotic and one for the placebo. While the placebo group received the placebo in the form of empty sachets, the probiotic group received the multispecies probiotics as a supplement. After gathering data on AAD incidence, prevalence, and severity, statistical analysis was performed. Results: The children in the placebo group had a high risk of AAD (35%, p<0.01), while the children in the probiotic group had a reduced rate of 15%. Additionally, there was a substantial decrease in the overall duration of AAD from 4.8 days in the placebo group to 2.5 days in the probiotic group (p<0.05). Additionally, probiotic supplementation decreased the severity of diarrhea and demonstrated an excellent safety profile. Conclusion: Because probiotics have fewer adverse effects, the study demonstrated that they are useful in both preventing and treating AAD in children.