Acupuncture and migraine prophylaxis, probiotics and C. Difficile-associated diarrhea, preventive group counseling and postpartum depression, black cohosh and menopausal symptoms, deep needling electroacupuncture and trigeminal neuralgia

摘要

By altering the normal balance of bacteria in the intestinal tract, antibiotics may inadvertently promote the proliferation of Clostridium difficile, an opportunistic pathogen, resulting in a range of symptoms, including diarrhea, colitis, pseudomebraneous colitis, and death.1 C. difficile- associated diarrhea (CDAD) is the most commonly acquired infectious diarrhea in hospitalized patients.2 The mortality rate can be as high as 10%.3 Probiotics are microorganisms believed to reduce the risk for pathogenic bacterial colonization by counteracting antibiotic-induced disturbances in intestinal flora.4 Probiotics have been shown to reduce rates of antibiotic- associated diarrhea in many trials and systematic reviews.5,6 Their ready availability as relatively low-cost capsules and dairy-based food supplements make them an attractive consideration for the prevention of CDAD.