Clinical effectiveness of probiotics therapy (BIO-THREE) in patients with ulcerative colitis refractory to conventional therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Intestinal microflora has been implicated in the etiology of ulcerative colitis (UC). Over the past few years, the use of probiotics in UC has gained attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics therapy for mild to moderate distal UC refractory to conventional therapies.


METHODS
Twenty patients with mild to moderate distal UC took 9 BIO-THREE tablets per day for 4 weeks. Clinical symptoms and endoscopic findings were evaluated as ulcerative colitis disease activity index (UCDAI) scores before and after administration of BIO-THREE. Fecal samples were collected from all patients before and after probiotics administration, and fecal microflora was analyzed by the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method.


RESULTS
Remission (UCDAI score < or =2) was observed in 45% (9/20) of the patients; response (decrease in UCDAI > or = 3, but final score > or = 3) in 10% (2/20); no response in 40% (8/20); and worsening (UCDAI > 3) in 5% (1/20). T-RFLP analysis indicated that the principal alteration in microflora was an increase in bifidobacteria.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that administration of BIO-THREE improved the clinical symptoms and endoscopic findings in patients with UC, indicating that administration of BIO-THREE is safe and efficacious for the treatment of UC.
Tsuda
Yukiko
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Sakura Medical Center, Toho University, Chiba, Japan.
Yoshimatsu
Yasushi
Y
Aoki
Hiroshi
H
Nakamura
Kentaro
K
Irie
Masaki
M
Fukuda
Katsuyuki
K
Hosoe
Nobuo
N
Takada
Nobuo
N
Shirai
Koji
K
Suzuki
Yasuo
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004724:Endoscopy; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index