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M Hickson
Dr M Hickson, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK; mary.hickson@imperial.nhs.uk
QUESTION
Does a probiotic drink prevent diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhoea in older adults receiving antibiotics in hospital?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial (RCT).
Allocation:
concealed.
Blinding:
blinded (patients, {clinicians, data collectors, outcome assessors, data analysts, monitoring committee}*).
Follow-up period:
4 weeks after discharge.
Setting:
3 hospitals in London, UK.
Patients:
135 patients >50 years of age (mean age 74 y, 54% women) who were receiving antibiotics (single or multiple, oral or intravenous) and were able to take food and drinks. Exclusion criteria included diarrhoea on admission or recurrent diarrhoea; bowel pathology that could cause diarrhoea; intake of high-risk antibiotics (ie, clindamycin, cephalosporins, or aminopenicillins) or >2 courses of other antibiotics in the past 4 weeks; severe life-threatening illness; immunosuppression; bowel surgery; artificial heart valve; history of rheumatic heart disease or infective endocarditis; probiotic treatment before admission; and intolerance to lactose …
Footnotes
Source of funding: Health Foundation and Hammersmith Hospital Trustees Research Committee, and Danone Vitapole.