This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Meta-analysis confirmed value of probiotics in some IBD patients
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Use of some probiotics may result in additional benefit in inducing and maintaining remission among patients with ulcerative colitis and in maintaining remission in patients with pouchitis, a study determined.
“However, no sufficient evidence suggested a significant benefit of probiotics for CD [Crohn’s disease],” the researchers said.
The meta-analysis evaluated 23 randomized controlled trials that compared probiotics with controls in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, then extracted data regarding emission/response rates, relapse rates and adverse events related to the 1,763 patients who met inclusion criteria.
The data demonstrated that probiotics significantly increased remission rates among active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (RR=1.51; 95% CI, 1.10-2.06), but not among CD patients (RR=0.89; 95% CI, 0.7-1.13).
While remission rates for active UC patients taking probiotics also were significantly greater than placebo (RR=1.8; 95% CI, 1.36-2.39), only the probiotic VSL#3 significantly increased remission rates (RR=1.74; 95% CI, 1.19-2.55).
The same probiotic also significantly decreased clinical relapse rates among patients with pouchitis maintaining remission (RR=0.18; 95%, 0.1-0.34).
The meta-analysis suggested probiotics offered effects similar to common treatment 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in maintaining therapy in UC patients (RR=0.96; 95% CI, 0.76-1.19). Treatment with 5-ASA and probiotics, however, offered no advantage over 5-ASA and placebo (RR=0.67; 95% CI, 0.33-1.38).
The study was limited by potential publication bias, the number of trials focused on remission and response rates among CD patients and differences in criteria for defining outcomes of interest between the studies included, the researchers said. “More rigorous and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm our results,” they concluded.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts