Baseline characteristics of study participants
| Characteristic | Rapid test-and-treat n=134 | Standard care (no rapid test-and-treat) n=138 | ||
| Placebo n=68 | Lactobacillus reuteri n=66 | Placebo n=69 | L. reuteri n=69 | |
| Age in months: median (Q1,Q3) | 11.8 (8.4,18.6) | 10.6 (7.7,16.7) | 12.4 (7.4, 17.0) | 9.8 (8.0,15.2) |
| Male; n (%) | 37 (54.4) | 38 (57.6) | 39 (56.5) | 39 (56.5) |
| Medical comorbidities; n (%) | 2 (2.9) | 1 (1.5) | 4 (5.8) | 1 (1.5) |
| Receipt of at least one dose of rotavirus vaccine; n (%) | 67 (98.5) | 62 (93.9) | 65 (94.2) | 64 (94.1) |
| Child HIV status; n (%) | ||||
| Positive | 2 (3.0) | 0 | 2 (2.9) | 0 |
| Exposed, infection status unknown | 2 (3.0) | 3 (4.6) | 2 (2.9) | 5 (7.4) |
| Exposed but uninfected | 12 (17.9) | 14 (21.2) | 9 (13.0) | 19 (27.9) |
| Exposure unclear, infection status unknown | 10 (14.9) | 14 (21.2) | 16 (23.2) | 9 (13.2) |
| Exposure unclear, but known uninfected | 2 (3.0) | 3 (4.6) | 0 | 1 (1.5) |
| Unexposed | 39 (58.2) | 32 (48.5) | 40 (58.0) | 34 (50.0) |
| Severe acute malnutrition; n (%) | 3 (4.4) | 3 (4.5) | 3 (4.3) | 3 (4.3) |
| Weight-for-age z score; median (Q1,Q3) | −0.79 (-1.33, 0.24) | −0.82 (-1.72, 0.08) | −0.60 (-1.63, 0.50) | −0.46 (-1.22, 0.62) |
| Height-for-age z score; median (Q1,Q3) | −0.43 (-1.33, 0.34) | −0.49 (-1.50, 0.24) | −0.82 (-1.63, 0.29) | −0.60 (-1.19, 0.63) |
| Child middle upper arm circumference (cm); mean (SD) | 13.87 (1.88) | 13.69 (1.60) | 13.83 (1.84) | 14.03 (1.66) |
| Diarrhoea days before admission; median (Q1,Q3) | 2 (1,4) | 2 (1,3) | 2 (1, 4) | 2 (1,3) |
| Diarrhoea number/24 hours; mean (SD) | 6.66 (5.08) | 6.78 (2.78) | 6.72 (3.09) | 7.29 (3.71) |
| Vomit days before admission; median (Q1,Q3) | 2 (1, 3) | 2 (1,3) | 2 (1, 3) | 2 (1,2) |
| Missing | 6 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| Vomit number/24 hours; median (Q1,Q3) | 5 (3,9.75) | 4 (2,6) | 4 (3,6) | 4 (2,6) |
| Missing | 6 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| Oral rehydration solution prior to admission; n (%) | 50 (73.5) | 57 (86.4) | 55 (79.7) | 52 (75.4) |
| Traditional medicine given prior to admission?; n (%) | ||||
| Yes, ingested | 6 (8.8) | 3 (4.5) | 6 (8.7) | 4 (5.8) |
| Yes, inhaled | 1 (1.5) | 1 (1.5) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (1.4) |
| No | 61 (89.7) | 62 (93.9) | 62 (89.9) | 63 (91.3) |
| Don’t know | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1.4) |
| Level of dehydration; n (%) | ||||
| None | 5 (7.4) | 8 (12.1) | 7 (10.1) | 9 (13.0) |
| Some | 43 (63.2) | 30 (45.5) | 43 (62.3) | 36 (52.1) |
| Severe | 14 (20.6) | 22 (33.3) | 16 (23.2) | 15 (21.7) |
| Unknown | 6 (8.8) | 6 (9.1) | 3 (4.3) | 9 (13.0) |
| Rehydration therapy at the hospital; n(%) | ||||
| Both IV and oral rehydration | 53 (77.9) | 49 (74.2) | 52 (75.4) | 56 (81.2) |
| IV only | 8 (11.8) | 10 (15.2) | 10 (14.5) | 9 (13.0) |
| Oral only | 7 (10.3) | 7 (10.6) | 6 (8.7) | 3 (4.3) |
| None | 0 | 0 | 1 (1.4) | 1 (1.4) |
| Zinc treatment; n (%) | 61 (89.7) | 56 (84.8) | 60 (87.0) | 62 (89.9) |
| Number of children under age of 5 years living in the same household; n (%) | ||||
| 1 | 41 (61.2) | 37 (56.1) | 42 (60.9) | 36 (52.2) |
| 2 | 13 (19.4) | 14 (21.2) | 17 (24.6) | 21 (30.4) |
| 3 | 9 (13.4) | 13 (19.7) | 6 (8.7) | 8 (11.6) |
| 4 | 3 (4.5) | 0 | 4 (5.8) | 4 (5.8) |
| 5 | 1 (1.5) | 2 (3.0) | 0 | 0 |
| Mother’s marital status; n (%) | ||||
| Married | 11 (16.2) | 7 (10.6) | 10 (14.5) | 12 (17.4) |
| Single | 56 (82.4) | 56 (84.8) | 58 (84.1) | 57 (82.6) |
| Divorced | 0 | 1 (1.5) | 0 | 0 |
| Cohabitation | 1 (1.5) | 2 (3.0) | 1 (1.4) | 0 |
| Mother’s education; n (%) | ||||
| Did not complete primary school | 3 (4.4) | 1 (1.5) | 3 (4.3) | 4 (5.8) |
| Completed primary school | 7 (10.3) | 13 (19.7) | 5 (7.2) | 6 (8.7) |
| Completed secondary school | 39 (57.4) | 36 (54.5) | 41 (59.4) | 38 (55.1) |
| Completed postsecondary training (vocational /technical) | 14 (20.6) | 11 (16.7) | 13 (18.8) | 12 (17.4) |
| Completed university degree | 5 (7.4) | 5 (7.6) | 7 (10.1) | 9 (13.0) |
| Socioeconomic parameters*; n(%) | ||||
| Electricity in home | 62 (91.2) | 47 (71.2) | 56 (81.2) | 52 (75.4) |
| Ownership of car | 38 (55.9) | 32 (48.5) | 33 (47.8) | 37 (53.6) |
| Ownership of mobile phone | 68 (100) | 65 (98.5) | 67 (97.2) | 69 (100) |
| Refrigerator in home | 57 (83.8) | 37 (56.1) | 49 (71.0) | 43 (62.3) |
| Water source; n (%) | ||||
| Tap to house | 41 (60.3) | 37 (56.9) | 31 (44.9) | 37 (53.6) |
| Shared community tap | 27 (39.7) | 28 (43.1) | 38 (55.1) | 31 (44.9) |
| Bore hole | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (1.4) |
| Method of feeding (for only those aged <6 months); n (%) | ||||
| Exclusively breast fed | 31 (45.6) | 26 (40.6) | 27 (39.7) | 19 (27.5) |
| Exclusively formula fed | 17 (25.0) | 16 (25.0) | 13 (19.1) | 19 (27.5) |
| Mixed feeding | 19 (27.9) | 22 (34.4) | 28 (41.2) | 31 (44.9) |
| Don’t know | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Missing | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
All variables with missing data are listed as such.
*Multiple responses possible, percentages may add to more than 100%.