Across 3 studies, all 3 reported beneficial effects on reducing hospitalization duration, with mixed effect sizes (small to large). The most-studied population was children with acute gastroenteritis (2 studies), with one study in preterm neonates. No consistent dose range was reported.
Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. Available evidence is overwhelmingly positive — clinical literature in this area is subject to publication bias (null-result studies are less likely to be published or indexed). Effect size varied substantially by population: a large reduction in hospitalization was observed in preterm neonates (-10.77 days), while children with acute gastroenteritis showed only a small reduction (-0.54 days).
L. reuteri use was also associated with a reduced duration of hospitalization (three RCTs, n = 284, MD -0.54 days, 95% CI [-1.09, 0.0]).
Compared with the placebo group, patients in the L. reuteri group had a shorter duration of hospitalization (P = 0.048).
Meta-analysis of RCTs estimated that the duration of hospitalization (-10.77 days; 95% CI, -13.67 to -7.86; 3 RCTs) was reduced in the L reuteri group.