The long-term effects of probiotics in the therapy of ulcerative colitis: A clinical study.
OBJECTIVE
Intestinal dysbiosis seems to be the leading cause of inflammatory bowel diseases, and probiotics seems to represent the proper support against their occurrence. Actually, probiotic blends and anti-inflammatory drugs represent a weapon against inflammatory bowel diseases. The present study evaluates the long-term (2 years) effects of combination therapy (mesalazine plus a probiotic blend of Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus strain BGN4) on ulcerative colitis activity.


METHODS
Sixty patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis were enrolled: 30 of them were treated with a single daily oral administration of mesalazine 1200 mg; 30 patients received a single daily oral administration of mesalazine 1200 mg and a double daily administration of a probiotic blend of Lactobacillus salivarius, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus strain BGN4. The treatment was carried out for two years and the clinical response evaluated according to the Modified Mayo Disease Activity Index.


RESULTS
All patients treated with combination therapy showed better improvement compared to the controls. In particular, the beneficial effects of probiotics were evident even after two years of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
A long-term treatment modality of anti-inflammatory drugs and probiotics is viable and could be an alternative to corticosteroids in mild-to moderate ulcerative colitis.
Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Disciplines, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Vincenzo Davide
VD
Palumbo
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Marcello
M
Romeo
Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Antonella
A
Marino Gammazza
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.|P. Giaccone University Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
Francesco
F
Carini
P. Giaccone University Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
Provvidenza
P
Damiani
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Damiano
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
Salvatore
S
Buscemi
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.|P. Giaccone University Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
Attilio Ignazio
AI
Lo Monte
Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.|Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medidcine, Aamerican University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Alice
A
Gerges-Geagea
Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medidcine, Aamerican University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
Abdo
A
Jurjus
Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), Palermo, Italy.|Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.|P. Giaccone University Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Tomasello
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069985:Bifidobacterium bifidum; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007779:Lactobacillus acidophilus; D000069996:Ligilactobacillus salivarius; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D019804:Mesalamine
bifidobacteria; inflammatory bowel diseases; lactobacilli; microbiota; ulcerative colitis