Probiotics in Preventing Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea Including Clostridium Difficile Infection (NU278)
Diarrhoea, Clostridium Difficile
About this trial
This is an interventional prevention trial for Diarrhoea
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male/female patients, above 55 years of age Patient has given written informed consent/Assent to take part in the study Patients are receiving antibiotics as inpatients Patients prescribed therapy with single or multiple antibiotics (oral or IV) will be included Antibiotic therapy must be indicated for a minimum of 72 hours Patients must be able to take medication orally Inclusion in the study is approved by the admitting consultant and validated by a member of the trial team within 48 hours
Exclusion Criteria:
- Age less than 55 years Pregnancy Patients on PEG feed. Diarrhoea on admission or within the preceding week Severe life-threatening illness
Subjects with allergy or hypersensitivity to any component of the study product (e.g.: allergy or hypersensitivity to milk proteins) Subjects who had any surgery or intervention in the last 4 weeks Subjects enrolled in another clinical study in the last 4 weeks Subjects who are thought not to comply with the clinical study Subjects presenting with a severe evolving or active pathology or infection of the gastrointestinal tract such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease or liver cirrhosis.
Any condition affecting the pancreas including acute and chronic pancreatitis Patients who had a surgical operation in their bowels in the preceding 3 months A medical condition such that the life expectancy of the patient is predicted at less than 3 months by the admitting consultant and validated by a member of the trial team Immune-suppressed patients (e.g. HIV) Steroid use of Prednisolone greater than 10mg a day (or equivalent of Dexamethasone) for over 2 weeks prior to entering the trial Patients on Cytotoxic drugs Post-transplant patients Any clinical condition affecting the pancreas including acute and chronic pancreatitis Patients with prosthetic heart valves or a history of endocarditis. Patients who have taken probiotic drinks containing live organisms or over the counter probiotic preparations in the past seven days (see Appendix 10) Foreign travel in the last 7 days
Sites / Locations
- Ashford and St Peters Hospital
- Blackpool Vicotria Hospital
- Royal Sussex County Hospital
- Cambridge University Hospital Trust
- Broomfield Hospital
- St.Richards Hospital
- Colchester Hospitals University
- Ealing Hospital
- Eastbourne District General Hospital
- Frimley Park Hospital
- Princess Royal Hospital
- Hillingdon Hospital
- Lancashire Teaching Hospital
- University Hosppitals of Leicester
- Lewisham Helathcare NHS Trust
- Kings College Hospital
- St Georges Hospital London
- Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother Hospital
- University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay
- Norfolk and Norwich University
- Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
- Worcestershire Acute Hospitals
- East Surrey Hospital
- University Hospital Southampton
- Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
- Yeovil District Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
Placebo Comparator
Dietary supplement Probiotic drink
Dietary supplement probiotic placebo drink
Double blind Probiotic containing the live strain 100g/day orally, twice daily for the duration of the course of antibiotics plus seven days
Double blind 'placebo' is actually a control product Placebo drink contains no strain 100gs orally, twice daily for the duration of the course of antibiotics plus seven days