A systematic review 1 including 5 studies with a total of 619 subjects was abstracted in DARE. Studies included children (aged between 2 months and 12 years) with acute diarrhoea; 3 of the studies were placebo-controlled trials and 2 studies gave no additional intervention to the control group. Combined data from 4 randomized-controlled trials showed that S. boulardii significantly reduced the duration of diarrhoea compared with control (WMD -1.1 days, 95% CI -1.3 to -0.8). Participants receiving S. boulardii were statistically significantly more likely to be cured on days 2 and 4 than participants in the control group (1 study). Saccharomyces boulardii significantly reduced the risk of diarrhoea on days 3, 6 and 7 (2 studies). Also the risk of diarrhoea lasting more than 7 days was significantly reduced in the S. boulardii group vs. control group (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.83; NNT 5, 95% CI 3 to 20; 1 study, n = 88). There was a statistically significant reduction in duration of hospitalisation in the group receiving S. boulardii compared with the control group (1 study).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear or inadequate allocation concealment).
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