A pilot trial of Saccharomyces boulardii in ulcerative colitis.
OBJECTIVE
Probiotics can be useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. In a previous report, the non-pathogenic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii was found to be beneficial in the maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of S. boulardii in ulcerative colitis patients.


METHODS
A group of 25 patients with a mild to moderate clinical flare-up of ulcerative colitis received additional treatment with S. boulardii 250 mg three times a day for 4 weeks during maintenance treatment with mesalazine. These patients were unsuitable for steroid therapy. Before and after treatment, Rachmilewitz's clinical activity index was calculated. The probiotic treatment was considered a therapeutic success only when the final score was lower than 6.


RESULTS
Of the 24 patients who completed the study, 17 attained clinical remission; this was confirmed endoscopically.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary results suggest that S. boulardii can be effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Controlled studies with this probiotic agent are warranted.
Guslandi
Mario
M
Gastroenterology Unit, S. Raffaele University Hosptial, Milan, Italy. guslandi.Mario@hsz.it
Giollo
Patrizia
P
Testoni
Pier Alberto
PA
D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012440:Saccharomyces
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D019804:Mesalamine