The efficacy of probiotics in prevention of urinary tract infection in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Probiotic use in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: What are current practices, and are they evidence-based? A pediatric nephrology research consortium study

BACKGROUND

Probiotics are living microorganisms that may confer health benefits to their host if administered in sufficient quantities. However, data on the use of probiotics in transplant recipients are scarce.

METHOD

This multi-center survey of pediatric nephrologists aimed to examine variations in practice regarding the use of probiotics in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. The survey was conducted via a 10-item questionnaire (developed in Survey Monkey) administered to pediatric nephrologists participating in the Pediatric Nephrology Research Consortium meeting in April 2023.

RESULTS

Sixty-four pediatric nephrologists completed the survey. Twenty-seven (42.2%) respondents reported having prescribed probiotics to pediatric kidney transplant recipients. The primary reason for probiotic use was the treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (n = 20), with other reasons including recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (n = 15), general gut health promotion (n = 12), recurrent urinary tract infections (n = 8), and parental request (n = 1). Of those who prescribed probiotics, 48.1% held them during periods of neutropenia and 14.8% during central venous line use. Of the 64 respondents, 20 reported the lack of safety data as a concern for using probiotics in kidney transplant recipients.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric nephrologists are increasingly prescribing probiotics to pediatric kidney transplant recipients; nevertheless, substantial practice variations exist. The paucity of safety data is a significant deterrent to probiotic use in this population.

Predictors of Urinary Abnormalities in Children Hospitalised for Their First Urinary Tract Infection

We aimed to investigate if children with their first UTI and a concomitant positive blood culture have a higher risk of abnormalities. We performed a retrospective study of children younger than 18 years of age with their first UTI. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate if positive blood cultures are associated with urinary abnormalities. After the screening process, we considered the enrolled 161 children with UTIs. The median age was three months, and 83 were females (43.2%). In multivariate analysis, age (p = 0.001, 95% CI 1.005-1.020), the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa or unusual germs in urine cultures (p = 0.002, 95% CI 2.18-30.36) and the positivity of blood cultures (p = 0.001, 95% CI 2.23-18.98) were significantly associated with urinary abnormalities. A model based on these parameters has an AUC of 0.7168 to predict urinary malformations (p = 0.0315). Conclusions include how greater age, a positive blood culture and the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa or unusual germs in urine culture in children hospitalised for their first episode of a UTI are factors associated with a significantly higher risk of urinary abnormalities. These data can guide the implementation of more personalized strategies to screen for urinary abnormalities that may be included in future guidelines.

Urinary Tract Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns: 5-Year Experience in a Tertiary Pediatric Nephrology Center in the Southwestern Region of Poland

(1) Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections in the pediatric population. This study aimed to analyze the urine culture results and antimicrobial patterns over the last 5 years in children diagnosed with UTI. (2) Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical records of 242 patients hospitalized in the Pediatric Nephrology Department diagnosed with a UTI in the years 2018-2022. (3) Results: The most common causative agent was E. coli, responsible for 64% of UTIs, followed by Klebsiella spp. (16%), Pseudomonas spp. (6%), Enterobacter spp. (4%), Proteus spp. (4%), and Enterococcus spp. (3%). Non-E. coli UTIs were significantly more frequently observed in patients with congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract or neurogenic bladder and patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis. For the whole study period, 32% of E. coli were resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, 23.3% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 12.2% to ciprofloxacin, and 4.4% to nitrofurantoin. During 2018-2022, the prevalence of E. coli resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid varied from 16.7% to 41.2%, and resistance to cefuroxime increased four times (from 4% in 2018 to 16.7% in 2022). Starting in 2021, all isolated E. coli strains were classified as susceptible-increased exposure or resistant to cefuroxime. (4) Conclusion: Managing pediatric UTIs remains challenging in clinical practice. The choice of optimal empiric treatment should be considered following local recommendations and individual risk factors assessment and require careful dosage adjustment. Observed changes in antimicrobial resistance indicated the need for frequent updating of local recommendations for the management of pediatric patients with UTIs.

The Impact of Lactobacillus Plantarum PCS26 Supplementation on the Treatment and Recurrence of Urinary Tract Infections in Children-A Pilot Study

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are frequent bacterial infections in childhood. Considering the known beneficial effects of probiotics in the gastrointestinal field, they could also help to alleviate UTIs. In our clinical pilot study, we sought to verify the positive effects of the specific probiotic strain on the course and prevention of UTI in children. Thirty children with UTIs were enrolled and sequentially sampled into two groups (placebo/control and probiotic/test) in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical pilot study. We chose Lactobacillus plantarum PCS 26 (Lp26) derived from local Slovenian cheese in Pathogen Combat Project, which showed a good in vitro antimicrobial effect on Escherichia coli (E. coli). Several parameters were followed to look for differences between both groups in the acute phase of the UTI and after 6 months of taking probiotic or placebo supplementation. Our results showed no statistically significant differences between both groups; however, two children in the placebo group suffered a recurrence of febrile UTI within 6 months of the follow-up period, while there were no recurrences of UTI in the probiotic group. In the test group, the number of febrile days after the initiation of antibiotics with probiotics was shorter, although not reaching statistical significance (p = 0.084). According to our results, probiotics might be helpful in alleviating UTI symptoms and in UTI prevention. Further research with a larger sample size is warranted. Additionally, basic scientific studies for the selection of proper immunobiotic strains of probiotics should be performed.

Effect of probiotics on urinary tract infections in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most prevalent bacterial infections that occur in children worldwide.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aims to investigate the utility of probiotics as preventive therapy in children with a UTI.

METHODS

The Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus were searched for articles that investigated the relationship between probiotic consumption and the risk of UTIs. The quality of the articles was evaluated using the Jadad scale. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also conducted. The Cochran Q test and the statistic I2 were used to evaluate heterogeneity. To determine any potential publication bias, the Egger's and Begg's tests were used.

RESULTS

In total, eleven studies were selected for systematic review and meta-analysis. Compared to children who did not receive probiotics, the OR of developing or having a recurring urinary tract infection in those who received probiotics was 0.94 (95% CI; 0.88-0.999; p-value=0.046). The Begg's and Egger's tests showed no evidence of publication bias between probiotics and the risk of developing new or recurring urinary tract infections.

CONCLUSION

Based on this systematic review and meta-analysis, probiotics could be an alternative therapy for children who are at risk of developing a UTI. They are non-pharmaceutical options and could be used as natural prophylaxis for UTIs. However, the currently published evidence does not irrefutably confirm that probiotics provide a protective effect against urinary bacterial infections. Therefore, there need to be large-scale randomized clinical trials undertaken to investigate the possible prophylaxis of probiotics.

Examination of Complementary Medicine for Treating Urinary Tract Infections Among Pregnant Women and Children

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a significant clinical problem that pregnant women and children commonly experience. Escherichia coli is the primary causative organism, along with several other gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Antimicrobial drugs are commonly prescribed to treat UTIs in these patients. Conventional treatment can range from using broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs for empirical or prophylactic therapy or patient-tailored therapy based on urinary cultures and sensitivity to prospective antibiotics. The ongoing emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens has raised concerns related to commonly prescribed antimicrobial drugs such as those used routinely to treat UTIs. Consequently, several natural medicines have been explored as potential complementary therapies to improve health outcomes in patients with UTIs. This review discusses the effectiveness of commonly used natural products such as cranberry juice/extracts, ascorbic acid, hyaluronic acid, probiotics, and multi-component formulations intended to treat and prevent UTIs. The combination of natural products with prescribed antimicrobial treatments and use of formulations that contained high amounts of cranberry extracts appear to be most effective in preventing recurrent UTIs (RUTIs). The incorporation of natural products like cranberry, hyaluronic acid, ascorbic acid, probiotics, Canephron® N, and Cystenium II to conventional treatments of acute UTIs or as a prophylactic regimen for treatment RUTIs can benefit both pregnant women and children. Limited information is available on the safety of natural products in these patients' populations. However, based on limited historical information, these remedies appear to be safe and well-tolerated by patients.

Non-antibiotic Approaches to Preventing Pediatric UTIs: a Role for D-Mannose, Cranberry, and Probiotics?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

While antibiotics have been a staple in the management and even prevention of urinary tract infections (UTIs), it is not without significant consequences due to intolerance and development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. These concerns necessitate alternatives to antibiotic use in the management of pediatric UTIs. This review seeks to evaluate non-antibiotic means of preventing UTI in the pediatric population.

RECENT FINDINGS

The search for preventative alternatives to antibiotics has included D-mannose, cranberry, and probiotics. These products similarly work through competitive inhibition of uropathogens in the urinary tract. Pediatric studies exist highlighting the use of cranberry extract/juice and probiotics in UTI prevention, although significant heterogeneity amongst studies have limited overarching recommendations for their use. Data of D-mannose use is extrapolated from adult literature. More studies are required in the utility of each treatment, with some emphasis on larger sample sizes and clarifications regarding dosing and formulation.

Emerging Role of Microbiome in the Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections in Children

The microbiome of the urinary tract plays a significant role in maintaining health through the impact on bladder homeostasis. Urobiome is of great importance in maintaining the urothelial integrity and preventing urinary tract infection (UTI), as well as promoting local immune function. Dysbiosis in this area has been linked to an increased risk of UTIs, nephrolithiasis, and dysfunction of the lower urinary tract. However, the number of studies in the pediatric population is limited, thus the characteristic of the urobiome in children, its role in a child's health, and pediatric urologic diseases are not completely understood. This review aims to characterize the healthy urobiome in children, the role of dysbiosis in urinary tract infection, and to summarize the strategies to modification and reshape disease-prone microbiomes in pediatric patients with recurrent urinary tract infections.

Non-antibiotic interventions for prevention of urinary tract infections in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

A considerable proportion of children experience a recurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI) following the first episode. While low-dose antibiotic prophylaxis has been the mainstay for the prevention of UTI, recent evidence raised concerns over their efficacy and safety. Hence, we aim to systematically synthesize evidence on the efficacy and safety of non-antibiotic prophylactic interventions for UTI. Using keywords related to study population (children) and intervention (non-antibiotic), we searched CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until August 2020. RCTs comparing any non-antibiotic interventions with placebo/antibiotics for prevention of UTIs in children were considered eligible. We used a random-effect model to provide pooled estimates. Sixteen trials evaluating 1426 participants were included. Cranberry was as effective as antibiotic prophylaxis (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.56-1.50) but better than placebo/no therapy (RR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.28-0.80) in reducing UTI recurrence. Probiotic therapy was more effective in reducing UTI recurrence (RR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-0.94) when compared with placebo. While probiotic therapy was not better than antibiotics prophylaxis in preventing UTI (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.56-1.21), they have a lower risk of antibiotic resistance (RR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.21-0.69).Conclusion: Cranberry products and probiotics are the two non-antibiotic interventions that have been chiefly evaluated, reduce the risk of UTI recurrence when compared with placebo in children with a normal urinary tract. The findings from this systematic review suggest that while cranberry and probiotics may be used, there is a definite need to identify better and more acceptable non-antibiotic interventions. What is Known: • Efficacy of the low-dose antibiotic is controversial in preventing UTI and it is associated with increase in the risk of antimicrobial resistance. • Non-antibiotic interventions such as cranberry products are effective in preventing UTI recurrence in adults. What is New: • Cranberry products are effective in reducing the recurrence of UTI in children with normal urinary tract. • Low-quality evidence suggests that probiotics can be a potential prophylactic measure to reduce recurrence of UTI in the pediatric population.

The Effect of Probiotics on Various Diseases and their Therapeutic Role: An Update Review

Probiotic bacteria play a critical and functional role in clinical and nutritional applications. In the present study, the ability of various probiotics and their metabolites in the prevention and treatment of different diseases, infections and disorders was reviewed. The issues that were noticed are included: Fibrocystic, diabetes, acne, colon cancer, cardiovascular, urinary tract infections, atopic eczema syndrome, food allergies and obesity. Enhancement in using drug treatment has led to the appearance of drug-resistance concern, thus probiotics can be a suitable choice. This review focuses on the effect of probiotic bacteria and their metabolites on immune-boosting, prevention and treatment of these diseases. For this purpose, after a short glance at each disease, infection and disorder, the mechanism of probiotic action and recent studies about that disease are reviewed. It could be recommended that probiotics consumption, perhaps from birth to all stages of life, would be effective in the life-long, development of health effects and disease treatments.

Cross-sectional study to assess the healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitude and practices about probiotics use in Pakistan

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of HCPs regarding the use of probiotics in different health conditions and to identify various barriers that are associated with their use.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 405 HCPs by using a validated self- administered questionnaire for assessing their KAP towards probiotic use. The study data were analysed using descriptive statistics, χ² test and binary logistic regression (BLR).

RESULTS

Among the 405 participants, only 15.1 % of HCPs had good knowledge, while 15.6% had acceptable practices and 89.1% had a positive attitude towards probiotics. The professional position of HCPs was significantly associated with knowledge (p=0.001) and practice (p=0.001). Among all the HCPs, the pharmacists showed a significant association with good knowledge (p=0.016) and good practices (p=0.024) by using BLR. The lack of knowledge about probiotics was a major barrier to the utilisation of probiotics.

CONCLUSIONS

The poor knowledge and practices regarding the use of probiotics have been seen in the current study. While the participants showed a positive attitude towards the utilisation of probiotics. To transform HCPs' positive attitude to their practices and to create awareness regarding probiotic use focused training programmes should be initiated by professional health organisations.

Fragility Index of Recently Published Meta-Analyses in Pediatric Urology: A Striking Observation

Background and objective

Fragility Index (FI) of meta-analyses determines their stability in terms of the level of confidence and strength behind the results depicted by them. The present study was conducted to estimate the FI of recently published meta-analyses in the Journal of Pediatric Urology (JPUrol).

Method

Twenty recently published articles on meta-analyses were screened to identify the eligible ones. The baseline data of each meta-analysis including the details of the author, number of included studies, total sample size, the total number of events, the status of the overall outcome (significant or non-significant), type of effect measure, type of method used for pooling the estimates, and type of effects model were recorded. FI was calculated by doing each single status modification. The 95% CI of the treatment effect was re-calculated until the statistical significance of the meta-analysis was reversed.

Results

A total of seven articles incorporating 22 meta-analyses were included. Seven (32%) of them had a statistically significant outcome prior to FI estimation. The risk ratio (17/22; 77%) was the most commonly used effect measure. The random-effects model (15/22; 68%) and the Mantel-Haenszel method (20/22; 91%) of pooling the estimates were utilized in the majority of meta-analyses. The median (Q1-Q3; range) FI of statistically significant, non-significant, and total meta-analyses were 5 (3-19.5; 2-39), 5 (3.5-6; 1-17), and 5 (3-13; 1-39) respectively. FI of ≤5 was noticed in four out of seven (57%), 9/15 (60%), and 13/22 (59%) of these meta-analyses respectively.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, the majority of the recently published meta-analyses in the field of pediatric urology are fragile and depend upon the event status of ≤5 participants.

Update of the EAU/ESPU guidelines on urinary tract infections in children

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children and require appropriate diagnostic evaluation, management and follow-up.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a summary of the updated European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines on Pediatric Urology, which were first published in 2015 in European Urology.

STUDY DESIGN

A structured literature review was performed of new publications between 2015 and 2020 for UTIs in children. The guideline was updated accordingly with relevant new literature.

RESULTS

The occurrence of a UTI can be the first indication of anatomical abnormalities in the urinary tract, especially in patients with a febrile UTI. The basic diagnostic evaluation should include sufficient investigations to exclude urinary tract abnormalities, but should also be as minimally invasive as possible. In recent years, more risk factors have been identified to predict the presence of these anatomical anomalies, such as a non-E. Coli infection, high grade fever and ultrasound abnormalities. When these risk factors are factored into the diagnostic work-up, some invasive investigations can be omitted in a larger group of children. In addition to the treatment of active UTIs, it is also essential to prevent recurrent UTIs and consequent renal scarring. With the increase of antimicrobial resistance good antibiotic stewardship is needed. In addition, alternative preventative measures such as dietary supplements, bladder and bowel management and antibiotic prophylaxis could decrease the incidence of recurrent UTI.

CONCLUSION

This paper is a summary of the updated 2021 EAU guidelines on Pediatric Urology. It provides practical considerations and flowcharts for the management and diagnostic evaluation of UTIs in children.

What are the new guidelines and position papers in pediatric nutrition: A 2015-2020 overview

BACKGROUND

Nutrition related publications in pediatric population cover wide range of topics and therefore it is usually difficult for clinicians to get an overview of recent nutrition related guidelines or recommendations.

METHODS

The Special Interest Group (SIG) of Pediatrics of European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) performed a literature search to capture publications in the last five years aiming to provide the latest information concerning nutritional issues in children in general and in specific diseases and to discuss progression in the field of pediatric nutrition evidence-based practice.

RESULTS

Eight major topics were identified as the most frequently reported including allergy, critical illness, neonatal nutrition, parenteral and enteral nutrition, micronutrients, probiotics and malnutrition. Furthermore, it was noted that many reports were disease focused or included micronutrients and were, therefore, represented as tables.

CONCLUSION

Overall, it has been shown that most reports on nutrition topics in pediatrics were systematic reviews or guidelines/position papers of relevant societies, but many of them basing the conclusion on a limited number of high-quality randomized controlled trials or large observational cohort studies.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus PL1 and Lactobacillus plantarum PM1 versus placebo as a prophylaxis for recurrence urinary tract infections in children: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections in children. In children < 7 years of age, the prevalence of one episode of symptomatic UTI has been estimated at 3–7% in girls and 1–2% in boys, whereas 8–30% of them will have one or more episodes of UTI. The use of some probiotics appears to reduce the risk of recurrence of UTIs. Since the effects of probiotics are strain-specific, the efficacy and safety of each strain has to be assessed. The main aim of this study is to determine whether probiotics (containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus PL1 and Lactobacillus plantarum PM1) therapy are effective in preventing UTI in children compared to placebo.

Method

A superiority, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial is being conducted. One hundred and six patients aged 3 to 18 years with recurrent UTIs in last year (defined as: ≥ 2 episodes of UTI with acute pyelonephritis/upper UTI; or 1 episode of UTI with acute pyelonephritis and ≥ 1 episodes of UTI with cystitis/lower UTI; or ≥ 3 episodes of UTI with cystitis/lower UTI) or children with ≥ 1 infection in the upper urinary tract and ≥ 1 of recurrent UTIs risk factors (congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, constipation, bladder dysfunction, myelomeningocele, sexual activity in girls) will be randomly assigned to receive a 90-day prophylaxis arm (probiotic containing L. rhamnosus PL1 and L. plantarum PM1) or a 90-day placebo arm. The primary outcome measure will be the frequency of recurrence of UTI during the intervention and in the period 9 months after the intervention.

Discussion

The findings of this randomised controlled trial (RCT), whether positive or negative, will contribute to the formulation of further recommendations on prevention of recurrent UTIs in children.

Trial registration number

NCT03462160, date of trial registration 12th March 2018.

Efficacy of Probiotic Prophylaxis After The First Febrile Urinary Tract Infection in Children With Normal Urinary Tracts

BACKGROUND

Growing antibiotic resistance and debates over their efficacy for urinary tract infection (UTI) recurrence warrants studying nonantibiotic prophylaxis for preventing UTI recurrences.

METHODS

We randomly assigned 181 children, aged 4 months to 5 years, with a normal urinary tract after recovery from their first febrile UTI in a 1:1 ratio to receive a probiotic mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium lactis (n = 91) or placebo (n = 90) for a total of 18 months of therapy. The primary objective was to show the superiority of probiotic prophylaxis to placebo. The primary end point was composite cure (UTI-free survival) at 18 months, and the secondary end point was the median time to first UTI recurrence.

RESULTS

The probiotics were superior to placebo with respect to the primary efficacy end point. At 18 months, composite cure was observed in 96.7% (3 of 91) of the patients in the probiotic group and 83.3% (15 of 90) of those in the placebo group (P = .02). The median time to the first incidence of UTI recurrence was 3.5 months (range, 1-4 months) and 6.5 months (range, 2-14 months) in the probiotic and placebo groups, respectively (P = .04). The main microorganism that caused recurrent UTI was Escherichia coli, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, and these results were not significantly different between the 2 groups. We found no specific adverse events among the participants who received the probiotic mixture during the course of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The probiotics were more effective than placebo at reducing the risk of recurrent UTI in children with a normal urinary tract after their first episode of febrile UTI.

Intravesical hyaluronic acid treatment in recurrent urinary tract infections in children with spina bifida and neurogenic bladder

INTRODUCTION

Damage to the glycosaminoglycan layer of the urothelium, which is composed of hyaluronic acid (HA), may increase the possibility of bacterial adherence and infections. Patients with neurogenic bladder (NB) who perform clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) 4-6 times a day are also under great risk for recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of intravesical HA in reducing the frequency of RUTIs in patients with spina bifida (SB) and NB, who perform CIC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten patients (nine girls, one boy) with SB and NB affected by RUTIs received intravesical instillation of HA. Ten patients (seven girls, three boys) with SB and NB who did not accept the intravesical HA therapy were included in the control group. All patients developed symptomatic RUTIs, which occurred at least three times in the previous 12 months. The study group was treated with intravesical 40 mg HA (Hyacyst®) weekly for four weeks, then monthly for the consequent three months. Recurrence of UTIs before and after the treatment was analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age of the study group and the controls were 11.1 ± 4.8 (3.2-18.6) and 9.3 ± 5.4 (2.1-16.2) years, respectively. The mean UTIs per patient-month in the study group and the controls were 0.34 ± 0.05 and 0.35 ± 0.06, respectively. The mean follow-up time after the treatment was 16.6 ± 6.9 months in the study group and 16 ± 6.1 months in the controls. The mean UTIs per patient-month significantly decreased in the study group after the treatment (p < 0.001) but showed no significant difference in the control group (p = 0.174). When study and control groups were compared, the mean UTIs per patient-month showed no significant difference before treatment (p = 0.77) but significantly decreased in the study group after the treatment (p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first one evaluating the efficacy of intravesical HA in the treatment of RUTIs in children with SB and NB. However, this study has several limitations, such as the small sample size and short follow-up time.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study indicate that intravesical HA is an effective and safe treatment that reduces RUTIs in patients with SB and NB, who perform CIC.

The effect of educational intervention program on promoting preventive behaviors of urinary tract infection in girls: a randomized controlled trial

Background

Urinary tract infection is one of the most common infectious diseases in children, which can lead to serious complications for a child. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Theory Planned Behavior (TPB) -based education on the promotion of preventive behaviors of urinary tract infection in mothers with a daughter under age two.

Methods

The present study is an educational randomized controlled trial that its sample consisted of 100 mothers who had a daughter under age two. They were selected through convenience sampling and then were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (each group included 50 participants). The data collection tool was a reliable and valid questionnaire based on TPB constructs. First, in both groups, the pre-test was administrated and then the educational intervention in the intervention group was conducted in the form of four educational sessions in 1 month (based on the pre-test need assessment) and then 3 months after the intervention (according to the ideas of Panel of Experts), post-test in both groups was administrated and then the data were analyzed through SPSS version 23 software with inferential statistics (independent t-test, paired t-test, and chi-square). The significance level was considered 0.05.

Results

Three months after the intervention, the mean score of the constructs of TPB in the intervention group was significantly higher than the control group. The performance of prevention of urinary tract infection in the intervention group before the education increased from 2.85 ± 0.51 to 3.74 ± 0.29 (out of 4) (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

TPB-based education with active and interventional follow-up was effective in promoting the preventive behaviors of urinary tract infection. Therefore, due to the side effects of UTI, especially in vulnerable periods such as childhood, it is recommended that trainings based on this model be carried out in other health care centers in order to maintain children health.

Trial registration

This trial has been registered at IRCT, IRCT2017031533090N1. Registered on 9 July 2017, https://en.irct.ir/trial/25621

Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation in Fecal Incontinence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction:

The present systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the role of Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) in the control of Fecal Incontinence (FI).

Methods:

Two independent reviewers extensively searched in the electronic databases of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus for the studies published until the end of 2016. Only randomized clinical trials were included. The studied outcomes included FI episodes, FI score, resting pressure, squeezing pressure, and maximum tolerable pressure. The data were reported as Standardized Mean Differences (SMD) with 95% confidence interval.

Results:

Five articles were included in the present study (249 patients under treatment with PTNS and 239 in the sham group). Analyses showed that PTNS led to a significant decrease in the number of FI episodes (SMD=−0.38; 95% CI: −0.67–0.10; P=0.009). Yet, it did not have an effect on FI score (SMD=0.13; 95% CI: −0.49–0.75; P=0.68), resting pressure (SMD=0.12; 95% CI: −0.14–0.37; P=0.67), squeezing pressure (SMD=−0.27; 95% CI: −1.03–0.50; P=0.50), and maximum tolerable pressure (SMD=−0.10; 95% CI: −0.40–0.24; P=0.52).

Conclusion:

Based on the results, it seems that the prescription of PTNS alone cannot significantly improve FI.

Effects of probiotic supplements on the progression of chronic kidney disease: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem. Although accumulated data suggested that probiotic supplements played roles in CKD, the results remained controversial. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the effects of probiotic supplements on the CKD progression.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted through the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases until September 2018. Randomized controlled trials with control receiving placebo, evaluating the effects of probiotic supplements on CKD were included.

RESULTS

A total of 10 randomized controlled trials in 8 countries were selected. In the meta-analysis, urea level was significantly reduced in probiotics-administrated non-dialysis patients (mean differences (MD) = -30.01; 95% confidence interval (CI) = [-56.78, -3.25]; P = 0.03) while no significant change was found in the dialysis patients receiving probiotics (MD = 0.1; 95% CI = [-9.28, 9.48]; P = 0.98). Probiotic supplements also exhibited no effect on uric acid (MD = -0.43; 95% CI = [-1.19, 0.33]; P = 0.27), C-reactive protein (MD = -0.48; 95% CI = [-1.29, 0.33]; P = 0.24), creatinine (MD = -0.18; 95% CI = [-0.82, 0.47]; P = 0.59), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (MD = 2.10; 95% CI = [-1.31, 5.52]; P = 0.23) of CKD patients.

CONCLUSION

Our results highlighted that probiotic supplements exerted a statistically significant effect on urea levels in non-dialysis CKD population, while no evidence suggested that probiotics possessed meaningful impacts on the reduction of uric acid, C-reactive protein, creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate preservation of CKD population.

Axonal degeneration and demyelination following traumatic spinal cord injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) related processes of axonal degeneration and demyelination are poorly understood. The present systematic review and meta-analysis were performed such to establish quantitative results of animal studies regarding the role of injury severity, SCI models and level of injury on the pathophysiology of axon and myelin sheath degeneration. 39 related articles were included in the analysis. The compiled data showed that the total number of axons, number of myelinated axons, myelin sheath thickness, axonal conduction velocity, and internode length steadily decreased as time elapsed from the injury (P_{for trend}<0.0001). The rate of axonal retrograde degeneration was affected by SCI model and severity of the injury. Axonal degeneration was higher in injuries of the thoracic region. The SCI model and the site of the injury also affected axonal retrograde degeneration. The number of myelinated axons in the caudal region of the injury was significantly higher than the lesion site and the rostral region. The findings of the present meta-analysis show that the pathophysiology of axons and myelin sheath differ in various phases of SCI and are affected by multiple factors related to the injury.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG can protect malnourished children

Malnutrition affects virtually all organ systems, and malnourished children are more prone to infections. These children have dysbiosis, but probiotics can restore the disrupted gut microbiome. We investigated the protective effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in malnourished children in terms of incidence of infection, and anthropometric and metabolic parameters. 50 intervention and 50 control patients, aged 6 months to 5 years, with body weight and height below -2 SD, were randomly and prospectively recruited. The controls received a calorie and protein-appropriate diet for 3 months, while the study group additionally received approximately 10⁹ L. rhamnosus GG for 3 months. Infection episodes and nutritional status were compared between the groups. 38 intervention, 33 control patients completed the study and the two groups were similar at baseline. The study group had fewer upper respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis episodes at each month and at the end of the study. Children in the study group experienced fewer total upper respiratory infections and urinary tract infections. Hospitalisation was more frequent in the control group during the third month and at the end of the study. Total infection numbers were higher in the control group at each month and at the end of the study (P<0.001 for each). Increments in body mass index (BMI) and BMI Z-scores were more pronounced in the study group (P=0.008 and P=0.02, respectively). Daily prophylactic use of L. rhamnosus GG at 10⁹ bacteria in malnourished children prevents most infections and improves nutritional status when used together with appropriate diet.