TITLE:
A Comprehensive Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
AUTHORS:
Feruza Abraamyan, Neeladri Misra
KEYWORDS:
Probiotics, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Remission Rates
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Gastroenterology,
Vol.14 No.6,
June
25,
2024
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects approximately 7 million people worldwide. In the U.S. alone, per the CDC, 1.3% of adults, which is approximately 3,000,000 people, are diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease-either, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis. The estimated cost of treatment can be close to $23,000 annually, with treatment regimens comprising biologic agents and anti-inflammatory therapies. Probiotics have recently gathered interest as a low-cost additional therapy option that, in addition to the current regimen of IBD management, allows for reductions in rates of IBD flare-ups by significantly reducing the number of emergency room visits and avoiding the need to constantly escalate treatment by addition of biologic agents in achieving remission. The Analysis Goal: Our research project aimed to see if there was a significant difference in the addition of probiotics to standard therapy in inflammatory bowel disease by comparing existing research studies and trials. We analyzed RCTs published in PubMed to assess the efficacy and safety of probiotics in patients with IBD in preventing frequent disease flare-ups and reducing the cost of care. Research Methods: We did a comparative analysis of available RCTs using a PubMed search and included studies that researched the addition of probiotic strains in patients with IBD (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease). After reviewing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the trials selected for analysis were reviewed by two independent reviewers. Results: We analyzed 21 RCTs, and 16 RCTs (76.2%) showed that probiotics are an effective therapy for IBD, inducing remission and reducing flare-up rates in patients on a standard treatment regimen. Conclusion: Probiotics given in combination with standard therapy in IBD are effective in decreasing disease activity rates and reducing remission rates. No significant adverse reactions to probiotics were noticed.