A randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial of Lactobacillus GG for abdominal pain disorders in children

• Published in: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics 2007-01, Vol.25 (2), p.177-184
• Main Authors: GAWROŃSKA, A., DZIECHCIARZ, P., HORVATH, A., SZAJEWSKA, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdominal Pain - diet therapy; Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Digestive system; Double-Blind Method; Dyspepsia - diet therapy; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Irritable Bowel Syndrome - diet therapy; Lactobacillus rhamnosus; Male; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Probiotics - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0269-2813; 1365-2036
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03175.x

Summary Background Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are common in school‐aged children; however, there is no reliable treatment. Aim To determine the efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for treating FAPD in children. Methods A total of 104 children who fulfilled the Rome II criteria for functional dyspepsia (FD), or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or functional abdominal pain (FAP) were enrolled in a double‐blind, randomized controlled trial in which they received LGG (n = 52), or placebo (n = 52) for 4 weeks. Results For the overall study population, those in the LGG group were more likely to have treatment success (no pain) than those in the placebo group (25% vs. 9.6%, relative benefit (RB) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–6.6, number needed to treat (NNT) 7, 95% CI: 4–123). For children with IBS (n = 37), those in the LGG group were more likely to have treatment success than those in the placebo group (33% vs. 5%, RB 6.3, 95% CI: 1.2–38, NNT 4, 95% CI: 2–36) and reduced frequency of pain (P = 0.02), but not pain severity (P = 0.10). For the FD group (n = 20) and FAP group (n = 47), no differences were found. Conclusion The LGG appears to moderately increase treatment success, particularly among children with IBS.