News from the Cochrane Library: probiotics for the prevention of paediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhoea

Based on a meta-analysis published in 2006 on the prevention of paediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhoea with probiotics a Cochrane review by the same authors has been released within the current edition of the Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2007). The per protocol analysis showed a relative risk for the incidence of AAD of 0.49 (0.32; 0.74). These findings could not be confirmed by the intention to treat analysis. These data are promising, but future studies will be necessary to clarify the role of probiotics for the prevention of AAD.