Table 1 Percentages of bifidobacteria and ER/CC at weeks 8, 12 and 26 in: (a) subgroup of subjects that did not take systemic antibiotics during the study period; (b) subgroup of subjects that received study product until week 26

Bifidobacteria, mean [95% CI]

0

28.30

20.75

0.267^b

[18.7–37.9]

[10.8–30.7]

8

36.31

14.48

0.001

48.08

[26.6–46.0]

[6.9–22.1]

[40.6–55.5]

12

53.09

17.61

0.003

[40.3–65.9]

[6.3–29.0]

26

43.28

14.07

< 0.001

[31.5–55.0]

[7.0–21.2]

ER/CC cluster, mean [95% CI]

0

18.48

16.73

0.705^b

[12.3–24.7][

[9.5–24.0]

8

13.44

24.99

0.014

10.38

[8.1–18.8]

[17.7–32.2]

[7.4–13.4]

12

10.16

34.12

< 0.001

[4.2–16.1]

[25.0–43.3]

26

15.92

31.72

0.002

[10.6–21.2]

[23.5–40]

Bifidobacteria, mean [95% CI]

0

26.63

17.74

0.231^b

[14.8–38.4]

[7.9–27.5]

8

38.40

13.06

0.002

48.08

[23.4–53.4]

[5.9–20.3]

[40.6–55.5]

12

49.74

17.09

0.002

[28.0–71.5]

[6.4–27.8]

26

48.77

15.12

< 0.001

[37.0–60.6]

[7.0–23.3]

ER/CC cluster, mean [95% CI]

0

23.55

13.42

0.074^b

[15.1–32.0]

[5.5–21.3]

8

6.31

25.52

< 0.001

10.38

[3.7–9.0]

[16.8–34.2]

[7.4–13.4]

12

7.45

32.11

0.002

[2.1–12.7]

[22.5–41.7]

26

13.07

33.92

< 0.001

[8.2–17.9]

[24.8–43.0]