Unlocking the Power of Probiotics: A Comprehensive Review on Safeguarding Hospitalised Patients from Clostridium Difficle Infection

Abstract

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is a commoncomplication of antibiotic therapy, with Clostridiumdifficile infection (CDI) being a major cause of severeAAD. CDI is associated with high morbidity, mortality,and healthcare costs. The administration of probiotics isa promising strategy for the prevention of AAD and CDI,as they can create a favorable gut environment andalter the composition of the intestinal flora. Thissystematic review evaluated the use of probiotics inpreventing CDI in hospitalized adult patients. Thereview of 12 randomized controlled trials involving3,586 patients found that probiotics reduced theincidence of CDI in hospitalized adult patients by up to70%. Specifically, the probiotic strains Lactobacillusrhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii werefound to be effective in preventing CDI. However,further research is needed to establish optimal dosingregimens and to identify the most effective probioticstrains for CDI prevention. Nonetheless, the use ofprobiotics appears to be a promising strategy forreducing the incidence of CDI in hospitalized adultpatients receiving antibiotics.