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The efficacy of probiotics in patients with severe COVID-19
Huaqi Wang1, Yunfei Wang1, Chunya Lu1
1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
Insights
Diarrhea is more common in severe COVID-19 cases. Probiotic use in severe COVID-19 patients shortened diarrhea duration and improved recovery markers, suggesting a beneficial role for probiotics.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Diarrhea is a notable symptom in COVID-19 patients.
- Severe and critical COVID-19 cases exhibit a higher incidence of diarrhea compared to mild/moderate cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of diarrhea in severe and critical COVID-19 patients.
- To evaluate the efficacy and prognostic impact of probiotic supplementation in these patients.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study analyzed 156 COVID-19 patients, focusing on 58 severe/critical cases.
- Patients were divided into a control group (standard treatment) and a treatment group (standard treatment plus oral probiotics).
- Outcomes measured included diarrhea symptom improvement, inflammatory markers (PCT, CRP), viral clearance time, and blood cell counts.
Main Results:
- Diarrhea occurred in 27.59% of severe/critical COVID-19 patients versus 8.16% in mild/moderate cases.
- Probiotic treatment significantly shortened diarrhea duration in severe/critical patients.
- Probiotic use led to reduced inflammation markers (PCT, CRP) and faster negative nucleic acid test results.
Conclusions:
- Severe and critical COVID-19 patients have a significantly higher risk of developing diarrhea.
- Oral probiotics demonstrate a supportive role in managing COVID-19, particularly in severe cases.
- Early administration of probiotics is recommended for patients with severe COVID-19.
Background:
To examine the incidence of diarrhea in severe and critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and to observe the efficacy and prognosis of probiotic use in such patients.
Methods:
A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the symptoms and incidence of diarrhea in 156 cases of COVID-19 confirmed by the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and the Xinyang Fifth People's Hospital, China. A total of 58 cases of severe and critical COVID-19 were identified and divided into the treatment group or the control group. The control group was given standard treatment according to the Protocols for Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19: Prevention, Control, Diagnosis and Management. Patients in the treatment group were administered oral probiotics as well as the standard treatment. The 2 groups were compared in terms of nutritional status (serum albumin), improvement of diarrhea symptoms, changes in inflammatory condition [procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP)], the time taken to register a negative result for respiratory tract pathogens on the nucleic acid test, and changes to white blood cell and lymphocyte cell counts.
Results:
In this study cohort, diarrhea was detected in 15.38% (24/156) of COVID-19 patients. The incidence of diarrhea in patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 was approximately 8.16% (8/98), and the incidence of diarrhea in severe and critically ill patients was approximately 27.59% (16/58). In patients with severe and critical COVID-19, probiotic treatment obviously shortened the duration of diarrhea. Furthermore, compared with the control group, patients treated with probiotics showed a significantly reduced time to achieving a negative nucleic acid test and the inflammation indexes including PCT and CRP were significantly reduced (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
The incidence of diarrhea in severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients was significantly higher than that in patients with mild and moderate COVID-19. Probiotics may have a good supporting role in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and its early application is recommended.
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