Gelatin tannate for acute diarrhoea and gastroenteritis in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness and safety of gelatin tannate (GT) for reducing the duration of the acute diarrhoea and gastroenteritis (ADG) in children.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, LILACS and grey literature, published from inception to October 2018. No language restrictions.

Eligibility Criteria For Selecting Studies: Randomised controlled trials in children with ADG, comparing GT with placebo.

Results: Of 797 titles identified, we included three studies (276 children). We performed a random effects model meta-analysis for the main outcome (diarrhoea duration). We did not find significant differences between GT and placebo for diarrhoea duration (mean difference (MD)=-15.85 hours; 95% CI -42.24 to 14.82, I=92%; three studies), stool frequency at day 2 (MD=0.11 stools/day; 95% CI -0.39 to 0.62: I=26%; two studies), diarrhoea at day 3 (risk ratio [RR]=0.46; 95% CI 0.06 to 3.47: I=73%; two studies), vomiting (RR=1.31; 95% CI 0.95 to 1.80: I=0%; two studies) or adverse events (RR=0.86; 95% CI 0.27 to 2.66: I=0%; two studies). Most common adverse events included abdominal pain and nausea.

Conclusion: The effect of GT was no different to placebo for mean diarrhoea duration (low certainty on the evidence) and stool frequency at day 2 (high certainty) and for the presence of diarrhoea at day 3 (very low certainty) of vomiting (moderate certainty) and of adverse events (low certainty).

Prospero Registration Number: CRD42018087902.