Sodium butyrate and short chain fatty acids in prevention of travellers' diarrhoea: A randomized prospective study

• Published in: Travel medicine and infectious disease Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 183 - 188
• Main Authors: Krokowicz, Lukasz, Kaczmarek, Bartosz F., Krokowicz, Piotr, Stojcev, Zoran, Mackiewicz, Jacek, Walkowiak, Jaroslaw, Drews, Michal, Banasiewicz, Tomasz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2014; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Abdomen; Antibiotics; Body temperature; Butyric Acid - therapeutic use; Confidence intervals; Diarrhea; Diarrhea - drug therapy; Diarrhea - prevention & control; Disease prevention; Drug therapy; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Volatile - therapeutic use; Food contamination & poisoning; Fruits; Humans; Hygiene; Infectious Disease; Irritable bowel syndrome; Pain; Patient safety; Prevention; Questionnaires; Short-chain fatty acids; Sodium; Sodium butyrate; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Travel; Travel Medicine; Travellers' diarrhoea; Sodium butyrate; Short-chain fatty acids; Travellers' diarrhoea
• ISSN: 1477-8939; 1873-0442; 1873-0442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2013.08.008

Travellers' diarrhoea (TD) remains a considerable concern among international travellers. Known methods of prevention include dietary precautions, administration of vaccines and antibiotic agents. To assess the efficacy of sodium butyrate (SB) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in prevention of TD. 67 adult patients planning to travel to subtropical countries were originally enrolled in the study. After eliminating 7 patients for not fulfilling the inclusion criteria, 60 patients were randomized into a study group receiving SB with SCFA and a placebo group. Patients were requested to complete previously distributed questionnaire daily. After elimination of 18 patients who did not return questionnaires, 42 patients completed the study (22 study, 20 placebo). In comparison to the control arm, the study arm noted significantly reduced occurrence of TD (4.5% vs. 40%, p = 0.008), was associated with a significant decrease in number of stools per day in travellers (1.9 vs. 4.2, p = 0.04), as well as a decrease in gastrointestinal symptoms including pain, bloating and nausea with fevers (0.7 vs. 1.4, p = 0.01). We recorded a trend towards decrease in diarrhoea related utilization of medical care in subjects from the study arm. There were no adverse effects noted regarding the use of SB and SCFA. Administration of SB with SCFA decreases occurrence of travellers' diarrhoea. It is safe and may constitute a new method of travellers' diarrhoea prevention.