Probiotic yogurt effects on intestinal flora of patients with chronic liver disease.
BACKGROUND
Patients with chronic liver disease generally have intestinal flora imbalance that is related to the development and worsening of the disease.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of probiotic yogurt on intestinal flora of patients with chronic liver disease.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial, pretest-posttest control group design, was used. Patients were randomized to an experimental group (41 patients) or a control group (40 patients). Patients in the experimental group were given probiotic yogurt (one cup each time, three times per day for 14 days) containing Bacillus bifidus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus within 2 hours after meals. Levels of fecal flora, symptoms and signs, and laboratory examination indexes were collected.


RESULTS
After intervention, the experimental group had a lower Escherichia coli count and reduced intestinal flora imbalance (p < .05). Comparison of the experimental and control groups after the intervention showed that the former had improved symptoms and signs, including significant improvement in debilitation, food intake, appetite, abdominal distension, and ascitic fluid (p < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Probiotic yogurt reduces the levels of intestinal flora imbalance and has an additional therapeutic effect on patients with chronic liver disease.
School of Nursing, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. liujune66@yahoo.com.cn
Jun-E
JE
Liu
Yan
Y
Zhang
Jing
J
Zhang
Pei-Ling
PL
Dong
Ming
M
Chen
Zhong-Ping
ZP
Duan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015163:Superinfection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015014:Yogurt