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A Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy of Probiotics for Maintenance of Remission and Prevention of Clinical and Endoscopic Relapse in Crohn’s Disease

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Abstract

Objective To evaluate whether probiotics maintain remission in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Design A meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Methods PUBMED and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for clinical trial studies investigated the efficacy of probiotics for the maintenance of remission in Crohn’s disease. Clinical relapse and endoscopic relapse were the key outcomes of interest. Data were searched within the time period of 1966 through may 2007. Result Eight randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials met our criteria and were included in the analysis. Seven determined clinical relapse and three evaluated endoscopic relapse among patients with CD received probiotics for maintenance of remission. Pooling of seven trials for the outcome of clinical relapse yielded an odds ratio of 0.92 (95% confidence interval of 0.52–1.62, P = 0.8853), a nonsignificant odds ratio. The odds ratio for three studies for the outcome of endoscopic relapse was 0.97 (95% confidence interval of 0.54–1.78, P = 0.93), a nonsignificant odds ratio. Conclusion This meta-analysis fails to demonstrate the efficacy of probiotics in maintaining remission and preventing clinical and endoscopic recurrence in CD. It is suggested to use probiotic preparations containing a mixture of lactobacillus with E. coli or Saccharomyces.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Roja Rahimi & Fatemeh Rahimi

  2. Drug Selecting Committee, Food and Drug Organization, and Food and Drug Laboratory Research Center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

    Shekoufeh Nikfar

  3. School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Behzad Elahi

  4. Baharan Coloproctology Surgical Clinic, Tehran, Iran

    Saeed Derakhshani & Mohammad Vafaie

  5. Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), P.O. Box 14155-6451, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Abdollahi

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  1. Roja Rahimi
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  2. Shekoufeh Nikfar
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  3. Fatemeh Rahimi
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  4. Behzad Elahi
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  6. Mohammad Vafaie
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  7. Mohammad Abdollahi
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Correspondence to Mohammad Abdollahi.

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Rahimi, R., Nikfar, S., Rahimi, F. et al. A Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy of Probiotics for Maintenance of Remission and Prevention of Clinical and Endoscopic Relapse in Crohn’s Disease. Dig Dis Sci 53, 2524–2531 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-0171-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-007-0171-0

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