|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 2 October 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Study Report on Yoghurt cure for Antibiotic caused Diarrhoea in children Here's the short summary of the Peradeniya Medical Faculty done Study Report on Yoghurt cure for Antibiotic caused Diarrhoea in children. Study Team Dr. J.G. Shirani Ranasinghe, Dr. A. Abeygunawardena, Dr. G.R.R.D.K. Gamlath, Dr. S. Samitha and Prof. P.A.J. Perera Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Peradeniya Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Peradeniya Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture Peradeniya The Report Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, especially with broad-spectrum antibiotics is a common clinical problem that the health personnel encounter in Paediatric wards both at home and abroad. The incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, the commonest cause for non-infectious diarrhoea, has been estimated to vary between 5% and 25% in adults and between 8% and 30% in children. The severity of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea may range from a brief, self-limiting disease to devastating diarrhoea with electrolyte disturbances, dehydration, crampy abdominal pain, pseudomembranous colitis, toxic megacolon, or even death. The interest in the use of live microbial agents for the purpose of health maintenance and disease prevention or treatment has exploded over the last few years. From the beginning of the last century, scientists have turned their attention to the health promoting powers of fermented milk products. When lactobacillus, a harmless bacteria is inoculated into milk, it produces lactic acid which curdles the milk imparting a tart flavour. Even though antibiotic-associated diarrhoea is a common incapacitating problem in the paediatric wards of Sri Lanka, the use of fermented milk products to overcome diarrhoea is currently not in practice. It could be because that such a study hasn't be undertaken to verify its practical use. The objective of this study was to assess whether commonly available locally manufactured, low cost yoghurt could be used prophylactically to reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in children. Material and Methods This study was carried out at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, within a period of six months. Subjects were the children admitted to the paediatric ward due to an illness, except diarrhoea and were treated with amoxycillin and augmenting. The subjects were males and females between 6 months to 5 years of age. They were randomly selected and divided into control and test groups. The test group was treated with a standard cup of (50 ml) yoghurt every morning for three consecutive days. The stool consistency and frequency of passing stools were recorded. The purpose of this research project was explained to the patients who accompanied children and their consent obtained before the study. Results and discussion Out of the 39 subjects in the Test group, 2 got diarrhoea (4.4%) whereas in the Control group of 37 subjects 10 got diarrhoea after antibiotic treatment (25.6%). The data were analysed using Fisher's Exact test. The probability associated with the test was 0.0252 and the effect of yoghurt in lowering the incidence of antibiotic associated diarrhoea was significant at p value 0.0252 (p<0.05 level). Hence it can be concluded that there is substantial reduction in the incidence of diarrhoea in the treated group. Therefore it can be concluded that diarrhoea could be effectively controlled by giving yoghurt with the antibiotic. In the clinical scenario of Sri Lanka, if a child develops diarrhoea after commencement of a specific antibiotic, the practice is to stop the drug immediately and then switch on to an alternative drug. This in turn prolongs the hospital stay and increases medical costs. Therefore adjunctive preventive measures, to prevent antibiotic associated diarrhoea are of paramount importance. The use of nutritious, local products such as yoghurt, to prevent antibiotic associated diarrhoea may promote healthy living and further popularize the sale of our local dairy products. Acknowledgement Chairman and the Staff of Milco (private) Ltd for providing yoghurt for the study staff of the Paediatric ward Teaching Hospital Peradeniya. All the staff members of the Department of Biochemistry and Paediatrics. All the patients and their family members for the support given for the study. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
