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JAMA Clinical Evidence Synopsis
August 7, 2018

Probiotics to Prevent Clostridium difficile Infection in Patients Receiving Antibiotics

Author Affiliations
  • 1Bastyr University Research Institute, Kenmore, Washington
  • 2Australian Research Center in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo
  • 3Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  • 4Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
JAMA. 2018;320(5):499-500. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.9064
Abstract

Clinical Question  In adults and children prescribed antibiotics, is co-administration of a probiotic associated with a lower risk of symptomatic Clostridium difficile infection without an increase in adverse events?

Bottom Line  Moderate-quality evidence suggests that probiotics are associated with a lower risk of C difficile infection and very low–quality evidence suggests that probiotics are associated with fewer adverse events vs placebo or no treatment.

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