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Probiotic, micronutrient mixture prevents nosocomial infection in children
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A mixture of the probiotic Lactobacillus GG, vitamins B and C, and zinc, appeared to prevent nosocomial infections in children in an Italian randomized controlled trial.
“The administration of Lactobacillus GG in association with zinc and vitamin C was effective in reducing the rate of nosocomial infections in children consecutively admitted to [the] hospital for any reason, and the duration of hospital stay,” Alfredo Guarino, MD, from the department of translational medical science in the section of pediatrics at University of Federico II, Naples, told Healio Gastroenterology. “The effect was mainly due to a reduction of gastroenteritis but also respiratory infections were reduced.”
Guarino and colleagues randomly assigned 90 hospitalized children aged 6 months to 5 years (mean age, 25 months; 50 boys) to receive either Lactobacillus GG with zinc and vitamins B and C, or placebo, for 15 days beginning on the first day of their hospitalization. They contacted patients 7 days and 3 months after discharge to determine the incidence of GI and respiratory nosocomial infections.
Overall, 20% of the children developed a nosocomial infection, representing 9% of the treatment group vs. 33% in the placebo group (P = .016). Moreover, 4% of the treatment group vs. 24% of the placebo group presented with diarrhea (P = .007).
“Interestingly, the protective effect was prolonged well beyond the discharge and lasted months as shown by the Kaplan Meyer curve included in the paper,” Guarino said.
The mean length of hospitalization was 3.9 days in the treatment group vs. 4.9 days in the placebo group (P = .003). At 3 months follow-up, 24.4% of the treatment group experienced at least one infection episode vs. 48.9% in the placebo group (P = .016).
“The results support and extend what is the current understanding of probiotics (namely Lactobacillus GG) in the prevention and therapy of acute infections,” Guarino said. “The association with zinc and vitamin C may have added to the protective efficacy, although this was not directly shown in the study. Zinc is effective against infections in malnourished children, and although Italian children are not at risk of malnutrition, they may rapidly develop selective deficiencies when admitted to hospital, suggesting the opportunity to protect them at admission.” – by Adam Leitenberger
Disclosures: Guarino reports he has received a research grant from Dicofarm for previous studies.
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