Adjuntive Probiotic Therapy in Treating Urinary Tract Infections in Spinal Cord Injury

A Multi-Centered, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial for Efficacy in the Use of Adjuntive Probiotic Therapy in Reducing Urinary Tract Infections in Those Individual With Spinal Cord Injury

We hypothesize that probiotic Lactobacillus can augment antibiotic treatment of symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) in spinal cord injured patients, and also increase the time to the next episode of UTI.

Subjects will be recruited from the outpatient population and 'alumni' of the Regional SCI Rehabilitation Programs in London (Parkwood Hospital/St Joseph's Health Care) and Hamilton (Hamilton Health Sciences Centre) Ontario.

Community living paraplegic and tetraplegic men and women (18 years and above) who present to their family physician or specialist with symptomatic UTI will be prescribed an antibiotic treatment for up to 14 days (using the drug of choice i.e. which the treating physician deems appropriate) and randomized to also receive by mouth two capsules containing placebo or probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 daily.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Spinal cord injury
• UTI
• > 18years
• Male and females
• Prescribed antibiotics

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who are participating in another clinical study involving pharmaceutical products.
• Patients who are participating in other urology clinical study.
• Patients taking yogurt containing probiotic lactobacilli during the period of the study.
• Females who are pregnant and/or planning to get pregnant during the study period