Paper
AGA Technical Review on the Role of Probiotics in the Management of Gastrointestinal Disorders.
Published Jun 9, 2020 · P. Kashyap, R. Morgan, Geoffrey A. Preidis
Gastroenterology
82
Citations
3
Influential Citations
Abstract
Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. 1 The probiotics industry is growing rapidly, with sales in the United States alone expected to exceed $6 billion in 2020. 2 However, probiotics are a source of significant cost with unclear benefit. Patients routinely ask clinicians whether they should be taking probiotics and, if so, which products. These questions present a dilemma, given that none of the probiotic preparations being studied are currently manufactured as drugs, that is, with the intent of treating, mitigating, or preventing disease. Rather, the typical classification of probiotics as dietary supplements has been associated with diminishment of the rigor of clinical studies, including capturing adverse events and efficacy end points. To date, general practitioners and gastroenterologists have minimal guidance regarding the use of probiotics for gastrointestinal disorders. In technical review, the reviews probiotic formulations that have been studied to prevent or treat common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. This review provides evidence-based information to guide both clinicians and patients regarding whether probiotics might play a role in the management of these disorders. When sufficient evidence exists, this review also suggests which individual population. 272 We identified a recent systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing various probiotics for the prevention of mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. 273 This study identified 63 trials 274–336 examining 15,712 infants that compared single- and multiple-strain probiotics to placebo for the patient-important outcomes of severe NEC (stage II or higher based on Bell’s criteria), all-cause mortality, culture-proven sepsis, NEC-related mortality, duration of hospitalization, weight at 37 weeks gestational age or at discharge, time to establish full enteral feeds (days), and feeding intolerance.
Systematic Review
Highly CitedProbiotics show potential in preventing and treating common gastrointestinal disorders, but their effectiveness remains unclear and their use in gastrointestinal disorders remains a matter of debate.
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