title: Use of pre-, pro- and synbiotics in patients with acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical outcomes of pre-, pro- and synbiotics therapy in patients with acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The databases including Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Chinese Biomedicine Database were searched for all relevant randomized controlled trials that studied the effects of pre-, pro- or synbiotics in patients with acute pancreatitis. Main outcome measures were postoperative infections, pancreatic infections, multiple organ failure (MOF), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), length of hospital stay, antibiotic therapy and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven randomized studies with 559 acute pancreatic patients were included. Pre-, pro- or synbiotics treatment showed no influence on the incidence of postoperative infections [odds ratios (OR) 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09-1.02, P = 0.05], pancreatic infection (OR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.12-2.17, P = 0.36), MOF (OR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.35-2.21, P = 0.79) and SIRS (OR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.20-2.98, P = 0.71). There were also no significant differences in the length of antibiotic therapy (OR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.50 - 1.14, P = 0.18) and the mortality (OR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.25-2.24, P = 0.61). However, Pre-, pro- or synbiotics treatment was associated with a reduced length of hospital stay (OR -3.87, 95% CI: -6.20 to -1.54, P = 0.001). When stratifying for the severity of acute pancreatitis, the main results were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-, pro- or synbiotics treatment shows no significant influence on patients with acute pancreatitis. There is a lack of evidence to support the use of probiotics/synbiotics in this area.
authors: Gastroenterological Surgery Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. mmzhangmd@163.com
authors: Ming-Ming
authors: MM
authors: Zhang
authors: Jing-Qiu
authors: JQ
authors: Cheng
authors: Yan-Rong
authors: YR
authors: Lu
authors: Zhi-Hui
authors: ZH
authors: Yi
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Yang
authors: Xiao-Ting
authors: XT
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D056692:Prebiotics; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D058616:Synbiotics; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D056692:Prebiotics