Lucuta, Roxana, Andrei, Adriana, Pirvulescu, Iuliana, Tugui, Letitia, Preda, Carmen, Stroie, Tudor, Meianu, Corina, Scutaru, Alexandra, Coca, Nicoleta, and Diculescu, Mircea
Study's objectives. Helicobacter pylori (H.P) is the most common chronic bacterial infection in humans. Conservative estimates suggest that 50% of the world's population is affected. Infection is more frequent and acquired at an earlier age in resourcelimited countries compared with industrialized nations. Once acquired, infection persists and may or may not produce gastroduodenal diseases: antral gastritis, peptic ulcer disease and various gastrointestinal neoplasms. The latest studies highlight the benefit of eradicating H.P infection, but also the intestinal dysbiosis following therapy. Material and method. We present a prospective study, carried out within IC Fundeni, Bucharest for a period of 4 weeks after Helicobacter pylori (H.P) eradication therapy (proton pump inhibitor 40mg x2/day+ amoxicillin 1000mg x 2/day+ levofloxacin 500mg/day + bismuth 120mg x 4/day, 14 days), which included a number of 66 patients divided into 2 groups: 33 in the control group and 33 patients in the probiotic group: Streptococcus faecalis, Clostridium butyricum, Bacillus mesentericus, Lactobacillus sporogenes: 1 capsule x 2/day, during 4 weeks, after HP eradication therapy (BIOSUN), in order to assess the effects of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy on intestinal dysbiosis, regarding the general state of health and the impact of probiotic therapy on improving the functional capacity. Patients were evaluated at the end of H.P eradication therapy - visit 1 and after 4 weeks from HP eradication therapy - visit 2, concerning the following aspects: self-assessment of general health state, the ability to perform physical/workplace-related activities, presence of pain (of any kind) with impact on daily/other activities, energy level, presence of melancholy or discouragement feeling, social activities impairment due to emotional or physical issues. Results. At visit 1, among the 66 patients included in our study, 36% patients (15 patients included in the probiotic group and 9 patients included in the control group) confirmed a good/very good/excellent general condition. A good general status proved to be consistent with the absence of: painful symptoms/abdominal discomfort, depressive/anxiety states and with an adequate energy level. 39% patients (12 patients included in the probiotic group and 14 patients in the control group) reported a moderately altered general status and 24% patients (6 patients included in the probiotic group and 10 patients in the control group) a severely altered general status. The altered general condition index was directly correlated with: limitation of physical/work-related activities, presence of pain/abdominal discomfort, frequency of depressive episodes and reduced energy levels. The evaluation carried out 4 weeks from HP infection eradication therapy confirms the improvement of the general condition in 10% of the 33 patients included in the probiotic group. The improvement of the general condition was associated with an increase in functional capacity and energy level, without changing the frequency of depressive episodes. Among the 33 patients included in the control group, 9% confirmed the improvement of general condition, with a directly proportional increase in functional capacity and energy level, also without changing the frequency of depressive episodes. Conclusions. The primary results, assessed shortly after the second visit, demonstrate insignificant differences between the two groups regarding the improvement of the general state, ability to perform physical / workplace-related activities and energy level. No changes were documented regarding the frequency of depressive episodes, possibly associated with the functional nature of the reported symptomatology. No adverse effects were reported during probiotic therapy based on Streptococcus faecalis, Clostridium butyricum, Bacillus mesentericus, Lactobacillus sporogenes. The obtained results will also be analyzed according to individual characteristics (age, sex, duration of symptoms, stress level at work); The long-term effects of probiotic therapy after HP eradication therapy remain to be assessed (possible using intestinal microbiota analysis before and after probiotic therapy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]