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Probiotics in pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases
Ajay S Gulati1, Marla C Dubinsky
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. agulati@med.unc.edu
Current Gastroenterology Reports
|May 26, 2009
Summary
Probiotics may help manage inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) by altering the gut microbiome. However, more high-quality studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness, especially in children with IBD.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- The gut microbiome significantly influences inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
- Probiotics offer a potential strategy to modulate the gut microbiome for IBD treatment.
- Current IBD therapies have potential toxicities, increasing interest in safer alternatives like probiotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review published trials on probiotic efficacy for IBD treatment.
- To specifically assess the role of probiotics in pediatric IBD management.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing clinical trials.
- Analysis focused on studies involving probiotics for IBD patients.
- Particular emphasis on pediatric IBD populations.
Main Results:
- Limited number of well-designed trials evaluating probiotic efficacy in IBD.
- Evidence for probiotic effectiveness in pediatric IBD is still developing.
- Further research is required to establish definitive treatment guidelines.
Conclusions:
- Probiotics show promise for IBD management due to their microbiome-modulating effects.
- The efficacy of probiotics, particularly in pediatric IBD, requires further investigation through robust clinical trials.
- Well-designed studies are crucial to determine the role of probiotics in IBD therapy.
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