Trichuris suis ova therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: A meta-analysis

In recent years, Trichuris suis ova (TSO) therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has attracted much attention. However, efficacy and safety of TSO therapy are still not well described. The aim of the study was to perform a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of TSO therapy in IBD.

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to August 2017. Only randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The pooled estimate rates were performed by meta-analysis and reported according to the standard Cochrane guidelines and the PRISMA statement.

In ulcerative colitis study (3 RCTs, n = 74), the induced rates of clinical remission and clinical response were 10.8% (4/37) and 53.8% (21/39) in TSO group, while 6.7% (2/30) and 29.0% (9/31) in placebo group (all P > .26). Twenty-two (9/41) percent of patients in TSO group experienced at least 1 adverse event compared with 27.3% (9/33) of placebo [relative ratio (RR) 0.75, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.17-3.27]. In Crohn disease study (3 RCTs, n = 538), 40.7% (74/182) of patients in TSO group achieved clinical remission compared with 42.9% (90/210) of placebo (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.75-1.20); 45.9% (141/307) of patients in TSO group entered clinical response compared with 45.1% (151/335) of placebo (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.86-1.21). There were sparse data of adverse events reporting both TSO and placebo group (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.88-1.13).

TSO therapy showed no statistical benefit for IBD patients, so it suggested clinicians consider its value carefully before putting into clinical practice. Perhaps continued investigations of larger sample size are necessary due to the previous results with lack of power.