Probiotic treatment vs empiric oral antibiotics for managing dysbiosis in short bowel syndrome: Impact on the mucosal and stool microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and adaptation.

In pediatric SBS, the empiric use of oral antibiotics, such as MET, is common for presumed clinical consequences of microbial dysbiosis. In this study of SBS piglets, that approach was associated with decreased microbial diversity and increased abundance of potentially inflammatory Proteobacteria. In contrast, a PRO treatment using Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp increased both diversity and SCFAs.