Clinical studies in persistent diarrhea: dietary management with green banana or pectin in Bangladeshi children.

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIMS:

Because of the beneficial intestinal effects of dietary fibers, we have evaluated the therapeutic effects of green banana or pectin in children with persistent diarrhea.

METHODS:

In a double-blind trial, 62 boys, age 5-12 months, were randomly given a rice-based diet containing either 250 g/L of cooked green banana (n = 22) or 4 g/kg pectin (n = 19) or the rice-diet alone (control, n = 21), providing 54 kcal/dL daily for 7 days. Stool weight and consistency, frequency of vomiting and purging, and duration of illness were measured.

RESULTS:

Most children (60%) had no pathogens isolated from stools, 17% had rotavirus, 5% Vibrio cholerae, 4% Salmonella group B, and 11% had enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infections. By day 3 posttreatment, significantly (P < 0.001) more children recovered from diarrhea receiving pectin or banana than controls (59%, 55%, and 15%, respectively). By day 4, these proportions correspondingly increased to 82%, 78%, and 23%, respectively, the study diet groups being significantly (P < 0.001) different than controls. Green banana and pectin significantly (P < 0.05) reduced amounts of stool, oral rehydration solution, intravenous fluid, and numbers of vomiting, and diarrheal duration.

CONCLUSIONS:

Green banana and pectin are useful in the dietary management of persistent diarrhea in hospitalized children and may also be useful to treat children at home.

• Authors: G H Rabbani, T Teka, B Zaman, N Majid, M Khatun, G J Fuchs
• Journal: Gastroenterology (Gastroenterology) Vol. 121 Issue 3 Pg. 554-60 (Sep 2001) ISSN: 0016-5085 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11522739 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Antidiarrheals
• Pectins

Topics

• Antidiarrheals (administration & dosage)
• Bangladesh
• Diarrhea, Infantile (diet therapy, drug therapy, mortality)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Double-Blind Method
• Feces
• Fluid Therapy
• Humans
• Infant
• Infusions, Intravenous
• Male
• Oryza
• Pectins (administration & dosage)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vomiting (diet therapy, drug therapy, mortality)
• Zingiberales