A Randomized Formula Controlled Trial of Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus for Prevention of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea in Infants

GOALS: This clinical trial was carried out to determine whether oral treatment with a commercial probiotic formula containing Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus would reduce the frequency of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in infants. STUDY: In this double-bind formula controlled study, 80 infants, 6 to 36 months of age, were randomly assigned to receive a commercial formula containing 10 viable cells of B. lactis and 10 viable cells of S. thermophilus at the initiation of antibiotics for a duration of 15 days. The infants were assessed daily for formula intake, stool frequency, and stool consistency for a total duration of 30 days. Seventy-seven infants received nonsupplemented formula for the entire duration. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the incidence of AAD in the children receiving probiotic-supplemented formula (16%) than nonsupplemented formula (31%). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows that prevention against AAD in infants was obtained by oral treatment with daily dose of B. lactis and S. thermophilus.