Probiotics and Fever Duration
Can probiotics shorten fever duration in children with a URI? Lets dive in...
This study of 128 patients, mean age 2.5, looked at duration of fever in patients sent home from the ED with a diagnosis of URI. Patients were assigned to either take a probiotic liquid or placebo for 14 days. The study found a 2 day decrease in duration of fever in the probiotic group (median of 3 days vs 5 days in the placebo group). While this was a blinded, placebo-controlled trial, it had limitations in that we don't know what sort of anti-pyretic use each group had at home, and only 55% of enrolled patients actually completed the treatment (27 in the probiotic group and 43 in the placebo group). Still, given the safety and ease with which parents can get probiotics, this could be a nice addition the your toolbox when sending the parent home who is VERY concerned about their child's temperature.
Bottom line: While this study has several significant limitations, the authors found that use of probiotics was statistically significantly associated with a decreased fever duration in children with a presumed viral upper respiratory infection.
This study of 128 patients, mean age 2.5, looked at duration of fever in patients sent home from the ED with a diagnosis of URI. Patients were assigned to either take a probiotic liquid or placebo for 14 days. The study found a 2 day decrease in duration of fever in the probiotic group (median of 3 days vs 5 days in the placebo group). While this was a blinded, placebo-controlled trial, it had limitations in that we don't know what sort of anti-pyretic use each group had at home, and only 55% of enrolled patients actually completed the treatment (27 in the probiotic group and 43 in the placebo group). Still, given the safety and ease with which parents can get probiotics, this could be a nice addition the your toolbox when sending the parent home who is VERY concerned about their child's temperature.
Bottom line: While this study has several significant limitations, the authors found that use of probiotics was statistically significantly associated with a decreased fever duration in children with a presumed viral upper respiratory infection.
