BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF PROBIOTICS ADMINISTRATION IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AND RELATED SPONDYLOARTHROPATHY: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Therapeutic treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may follow different approaches, systemic as well as local, especially when the target is the osteoarticular apparatus. Although some clinical trials have suggested benefits from probiotics administration in IBD, there is still a great deal of controversy on their use. the aim of this study was to further investigate the effects of probiotics in patients with IBD and related spondyloarthropathy. Fifty-nine patients affected by IBD with extra-intestinal involvement where evaluated from 2006 to 2010. Twenty-eight patients received administration of a standard therapy with mesalazine and 31 where treated with the same therapy plus probiotic supplement. Comparative analysis performed between the 2 groups showed a better clinical response and a reduction of occasional corticosteroids administration in patients receiving probiotic administration. Conclusions: this prospective study supports the beneficial effects of probiotic administration in improving the clinical response to standard therapy and in reducing the need for corticosteroids use. Large randomized trials would provide reliable and conclusive results in this field.