Evaluation Of The Use Of Probiotics In Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Abstract Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), afflicting around 11% of the adult population worldwide. Despite the availability of a great variety of therapeutic options, treatment satisfaction is suboptimal for both the patient and the doctor. There is good evidence that the microbiota is a predominant factor in the IBS pathophysiology. Probiotics confers a health benefit on the host associated with modulation of the microbiota . (Dorssman and Hasler, 2016) Aim of the work The aim of the current study is to evaluate the role of probiotics in the improvement of quality of life via Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Quality of Life survey (IBS-QOL). Patients and methods This Double armed clinical trial was conducted on IBS patients, who fulfill ROME IV criteria and the IBS diagnostic questionnaire in Egyptair hospital outpatient clinic, Cairo, Egypt between March and December 2019. Data of the patient, with suspected IBS during the study period, were reviewed and the patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled into this study. The patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were followed up after 4 weeks from the first visit. Results The study includes 90 patients divided to 2 equal groups the first were prescribed probiotic and itopride medication and the second were prescribed itopride only. There was a highly significant improvement in the overall QOL terms (dysphoria, interaction with activity, body image, health worry, food avoidance, social reaction, sexual activity and relationship scores) for group 1 with overall mean score (60.64±7.77) at baseline and (81.54±7.87) at 4 weeks (p value <0.001). For group 2 there were high significance for some terms (dysphoria, interference with activity, body image and health worry scores) while other terms (food avoidance, social reaction, sexual activity and relationship) showed no significant changes, the overall score was of no significance too (p value 0.18). Comparing the 2 groups that there was a high significant difference between the 2 groups regarding the overall QOL at 4 weeks (p value <0.001), but there were no significance between the 2 groups regarding; Body image (p value 0.16), food avoidance (p value 0.95) and sexual scores (p value 0.14). Conclusion Our data suggest that probiotics are useful for the improvement of quality of life of the IBS patients.