title: Chronic bacterial prostatitis and irritable bowel syndrome: effectiveness of treatment with rifaximin followed by the probiotic VSL#3.
abstract: This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of treatment with rifaximin followed by the probiotic VSL#3 versus no treatment on the progression of chronic prostatitis toward chronic microbial prostate-vesiculitis (PV) or prostate-vesiculo-epididymitis (PVE). A total of 106 selected infertile male patients with bacteriologically cured chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were randomly prescribed rifaximin (200 mg, 2 tablets bid, for 7 days monthly for 12 months) and probiotic containing multiple strains VSL#3 (450 × 10(9) FU per day) or no treatment. Ninety-five of them (89.6%) complied with the therapeutic plan and were included in this study. Group A = "6Tx/6-": treatment for the initial 6 and no treatment for the following 6 months (n = 26); Group B = "12Tx": 12 months of treatment (n = 22); Group C = "6-/6Tx": no treatment for the initial 6 months and treatment in the last 6 months (n = 23); Group D = "12-": no treatment (n = 24). The patients of Groups A = "6Tx/6-" and B = "12Tx" had the highest frequency of chronic prostatitis (88.5% and 86.4%, respectively). In contrast, group "12-": patients had the lowest frequency of prostatitis (33.4%). The progression of prostatitis into PV in groups "6Tx/6-" (15.5%) and "6-/6Tx" (13.6%) was lower than that found in the patients of group "12-" (45.8%). Finally, no patient of groups "6Tx/6-" and "6-/6Tx" had PVE, whereas it was diagnosed in 20.8% of group "12-" patients. Long-term treatment with rifaximin and the probiotic VSL#3 is effective in lowering the progression of prostatitis into more complicated forms of male accessory gland infections in infertile patients with bacteriologically cured CBP plus IBS.
authors: Enzo
authors: E
authors: Vicari
authors: Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine, Department of Medical and Pediatric Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors: Sandro
authors: S
authors: La Vignera
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Castiglione
authors: Rosita A
authors: RA
authors: Condorelli
authors: Lucia O
authors: LO
authors: Vicari
authors: Aldo E
authors: AE
authors: Calogero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004823:Epididymitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000078262:Rifaximin; D012669:Seminal Vesicles; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D012294:Rifamycins; D000078262:Rifaximin