A Comparison of Outcomes from Antibiotic Treatment with and without Probiotics in 897 Patients with Lower Urogenital Tract Infections, Including Cystitis, Urethritis, Prostatitis, and Vulvovaginitis

BACKGROUND:Urogenital bacterial infections have a high incidence in humans. The most frequent cause of infections of the urogenital tract is gram-negative bacteria. Antibiotics are very effective in curing infectious diseases but they are accompanied by health complications. Probiotics are live microorganisms that are believed to confer a beneficial effect on human health when consumed in adequate amounts. This study aimed to compare outcomes from antibiotic treatment with and without the use of probiotics in 897 patients with lower urogenital tract infections, including cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, and vulvovaginitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS:A total of 897 patients aged 18 to 55 years were included in this research. Patients were divided into an intervention group including 460 patients (254 women, 206 men) and a comparison group including 437 patients (240 women, 197 men). The probiotics received by patients were capsules of ProBalans®. The diagnosis of cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis, vulvovaginitis, and sexually transmitted infection was done using several tests, and antibiotics were used for treatment. Qualitative data were analyzed using the chi-square or Fisher exact test. RESULTS:We found a significant difference regarding patients' impressions of improvement after therapy between patients in the intervention group and the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS:Use of probiotics together with antibiotics in the treatment of urogenital tract infection can help to reduce the adverse effects of antibiotics, increase the efficiency of antibiotic therapy, and reduce bacterial resistance to antibiotics. However, further research is needed to confirm these potential health benefits.