Nifuroxazide in initial therapy for acute intestinal infections in adults

The article presents the results of the meta-analysis of the effectiveness of nifuroxazide in the treatment of acute intestinal infections in adults. Objective. To summarize the results of studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of nifuroxazide in acute intestinal infections in adults. Materials and methods. A search was carried out in electronic databases and among paper-based information in accordance with modern requirements for conducting meta-analysis. We selected high-quality randomized and non-randomized clinical trials, in which nifuroxazide was compared with placebo, an alternative antibiotic, or with the absence of antibacterial therapy in the treatment of acute intestinal infections in adults from 18 to 90 years of age. In most studies, the compared medications were prescribed together with other therapies: formulations for rehydration, enterosorbents, and probiotics. Results. A total of 1999 people participated in the studies selected for analysis (541 – in the main group, 1458 – in the comparison group). It was shown that nifuroxazide significantly reduced the duration of diarrhea in acute intestinal infections adults, on average, by 1,35 days. When prescribing nifuroxazide, there was no increase in intoxication, symptoms of gastrointestinal mucosa irritation (nausea, vomiting), and allergic reactions. Conclusion. The meta-analysis confirmed the effectiveness of nifuroxazide in acute intestinal infections in adults. Key words: antibacterial therapy, adults, diarrhea, intoxication, fever, nifuroxazide, acute intestinal infections