Probiotic treatment for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in geriatric patients.

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We plan a randomised controlled double blinded trial to answer the question; does the regular use of a commercially available probiotic (Yakult) reduce the incidence and duration of diarrhea amongst geriatric inpatients (people aged =65yo)? The study population is all patients admitted to the sub-acute wards of St Vincent’s Hospital and St George’s Hospital during the period of the study. Recent antibiotic use in the last 2-8 weeks can commonly cause the complication of diarrhea. This can extend inpatient stay by 3-7 days, increase morbidity including dehydration and deconditioning due to illness, increase mortality by 2-3 times and cause hospital outbreaks of diarrhea in the general hospitalised population. The geriatric population admitted to subacute wards are frailer and have multiple co-morbidities. They have a higher incidence of recent antibiotic use and increased risk of complications developing secondary to diarrhea. All patients admitted to the subacute wards who meet the inclusion criteria will be invited to participate. They will be encouraged to drink the 65ml milk product twice a day which will be randomised as to whether it contains the probiotic. Basic demographic data will be collected from the patient chart including age, gender, medical co-morbidities, recent antibiotic use, and current medications. The patient bowel charts will be monitored to ascertain the incidence of diarrhea.

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