Factors associated with the use of probiotics in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Probiotic preparations are heavily promoted in the United Kingdom and are widely available to purchase. Probiotics have multiple effects on gastrointestinal functions and may have beneficial or even harmful effects in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Various complementary and alternative medicines are commonly used by IBD patients but there is much less data specifically on the use of probiotics.

To examine the current use of probiotics by IBD patients and determine the factors associated with probiotic use.

Subjects with IBD undergoing routine care at a UK teaching hospital underwent a standardized structured questionnaire-interview. Current use of probiotics was explored and patient- and disease-related factors examined. IBD-related quality of life was assessed with the short inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (S-IBDQ). Logistical regression was used to explore factors associated with probiotic use.

Forty subjects were interviewed.  Probiotic use was common, 40% of subjects being regular users. Probiotic use was significantly associated with a shorter duration of IBD since diagnosis, a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, formal post-18 education and lower quality of life as assessed by the S-IBDQ. A preference for the taste of the preparation was as common a reason for using probiotics as were potential disease modifying effects. Non-users reported that the costs of the preparations and doubts about efficacy were the primary reasons for non-use.

In this study probiotic use was common in IBD patients. Several patient- and disease- related factors, including a lower perceived quality of life, were associated with the use of probiotics.