Probiotics for Infection Prevention in Critically Ill and Trauma Patients: A Concise Review.

Background: Critically ill trauma patients are at an increased risk for infection, which can increase morbidity and mortality. The use of probiotic preparations for infection prevention is promising, yet the results of their effectiveness are mixed.

Objectives: To synthesize current research regarding the use of probiotics to prevent and possibly treat infection in the critically ill adult trauma population.

Probiotics for Trauma Patients: Should We Be Taking a Precautionary Approach?

The use of probiotics in the hospital setting is largely understudied and highly controversial. Probiotics are living organisms that, when taken internally, can produce an immunomodulating effect and improve the gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal barrier. Although used for centuries by healthy individuals for GI health, their use in the hospital setting is now gaining wide attention for the prevention of infectious complications such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Clostridium difficile infections, multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome, and ventilator-associated pneumonia.