Review: probiotics are effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Main results 9 trials (1214 patients) met the selection criteria. 2 of the trials studied children. No statistical heterogeneity or publication bias was detected among the 9 trials. The pooled odds ratio (OR) showed that probiotic treatment was more effective than placebo in the prevention of diarrhoea (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.53) (table). 4 trials that used S. boulardii (yeast trials) also favoured probiotic treatment (OR 0.39, CI 0.25 to 0.62) as did 5 that used lactobacilli or enterococci (non-yeast trials) (OR 0.34, CI 0.19 to 0.61).