A randomized controlled trial of a probiotic, VSL#3, on gut transit and symptoms in @entity294 -predominant XXXX .

@entity1 @entity294 @entity1744 @entity490
AIM: To investigate the effects of a probiotic formulation, VSL#3, on gastrointestinal transit and symptoms of @entity1 with @entity1744 with predominant @entity294 . METHODS: Twenty-five @entity1 with @entity294 -predominant @entity1744 were randomly assigned to receive VSL#3 powder (450 billion lyophilized bacteria/day) or matching placebo twice daily for 8 weeks after a 2-week run-in period. Pre- and post-treatment gastrointestinal transit measurements were performed in all @entity1 . @entity1 recorded their bowel function and symptoms daily in a diary during the 10-week study, which was powered to detect a 50% change in the primary colonic transit end-point. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in mean gastrointestinal transit measurements, bowel function scores or satisfactory global symptom relief between the two treatment groups, pre- or post-therapy. Differences in abdominal bloating scores between treatments were borderline significant (P = 0.09, analysis of covariance). Further analysis revealed that abdominal bloating was reduced (P = 0.046) with VSL#3 [mean post- minus pre-treatment score, - 13.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), - 2.5 to - 24.9], but not with placebo (P = 0.54) (mean post- minus pre-treatment score, - 1.7; 95% CI, 7.1 to - 10.4). With the exception of changes in abdominal bloating, VSL#3 had no effect on other individual symptoms: @entity490 , gas and urgency. All @entity1 tolerated VSL#3 well. CONCLUSION: VSL#3 appears to be promising in the relief of abdominal bloating in @entity1 with @entity294 -predominant @entity1744 . This is unrelated to an alteration in gastrointestinal or colonic transit.
