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Sodexo

Allentown
Internship

Summary for Patients


Can probiotics help children with cystic fibrosis?

The Summary for


Patients is
intended for patients
to better understand
the complicated and
often mystifying
language of modern
medicine.
Summaries for Patients
are presented for
informational purposes
only. These summaries
are not a substitute for
advice from your own
medical provider. If
you have questions
about this material, or
need medical advice
about your own health
or situation, please
contact your physician.

The full report is titled


Bruzzese, Eugenia, et
al. Disrupted
intestinal microbiota
and intestinal
inflammation in
children with cystic
fibrosis and its
restoration with
Lactobacillus GG: a
randomized clinical
trial. PlaS one 9.2
(2014): e87796.
This summary was
written by, Caitlin
George, Sodexo
Dietetic Intern
And was reviewed by
Robert Zurfluh RDN,
and Alison Reyes, MS,
RD
March 2015

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?


Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited life-threatening disorder that damages the lungs
and digestive system. This disorder causes the body to produce abnormally thick
mucus that clogs a number of internal pathways and therefore inhibits organs from
working properly. This disease slowly leads to damage of the digestive system and
lung function of these patients to the point where lung transplants are needed for
them to survive.
Why did the researchers do this particular study?
The goal of this study was to research the differences in the digestive tract
microbiota between children with CF and healthy individuals. The digestive tract
microbiota is a complex species of bacteria that lives within the digestive tract, and
depending on what type of bacteria is present can improve health or disable health.
The researchers also wanted to look at the relationship between the microbiota and
intestinal inflammation. Overall, they wanted to see how supplementation with
Lactobacillus GG, a probiotic, affects the microbiota and lung function. Probiotics
are known to restore the healthy bacteria found in the digestive tract.
Who was studied?
There were twenty-two clinically stable children with CF that were enrolled in the
study. The median age was seven years old with thirteen males and nine females.
The participants had to have no acute diseases or have taken antibiotics or steroids
within the two weeks prior to the start of the trial. There were also twenty healthy
individuals used to compare the digestive tract microbiota between them and the
CF patients.
How was the study done?
This was a randomized double blind clinical trial. The twenty-two participants were
assigned to the treatment group (10) that received the probiotic supplement or the
placebo group (12) that received an identical looking placebo (a fake supplement,
e.g. a sugar pill. All participants were given one pill a day for four weeks. They
tested the digestive tract microbiota before the study started to compare the
bacteria found in the CF patients compared to the healthy participants. They also
assessed both groups intestinal inflammation using specific biomarkers that are
found in the fecal matter. After the four-week period of supplementation, the
researchers compared the digestive tract microbiota and lung function between the
treatment group and the placebo group.
What did the researchers find?
The researchers found that the CF patients had significantly higher amounts of
intestinal inflammation compared to the healthy individuals. Also, many of the
beneficial microbiota species were missing in the CF patients, when compared to
the healthy controls. When comparing the treatment vs. placebo groups, the
children who were treated with the probiotic had a significant increase in the
healthy intestinal bacteria and showed a significant decrease in intestinal
inflammation. The researchers stated that this function could help decrease lung
infections and improve lung function in the CF patient.
What were the limitations of the study?
The limitations of this study were that they used a very small group of people. The
researchers also did not state how they recruited both the CF participants and
healthy participants for the study, and it was not mentioned where the study was
done. Finally, they did not explain how the probiotics affect lung function in a direct
manner. They just explained the intestinal inflammation, and microbiota diversity in
detail, and just stated that the beneficial changes in the digestive tract will improve
lung function.
What are the implications of the study?
This study suggests that children with CF who take a probiotic supplement can
improve their digestive tract health and may improve their lung function.

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