Probiotics Prevents Liver Cirrhosis Complications

A clinical trial in Indian cirrhosis patients show that probiotics could help prevent the deterioration of brain function, a serious complication of late stage liver disease.

AsianScientist (Jun 12, 2014) – Probiotics are effective in preventing hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis of the liver, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Hepatic encephalopathy is a deterioration of brain function that is a serious complication of liver disease.

“This rigorous new research finds that probiotics modify the gut microbiota to prevent hepatic encephalopathy in patients with cirrhosis of the liver,” said Dr. David W. Victor III, who contributed an editorial in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology on this research. “These results offer a safe, well-tolerated and perhaps cheaper alternative to current treatments.”

The investigators from Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital, New Delhi, conducted a single-center, prospective, open-label, randomized trial with cirrhosis patients who showed risk factors for hepatic encephalopathy, but had yet to experience an obvious episode. When comparing treatment with probiotics versus placebo, the researchers found that the incidence of hepatic encephalopathy was lower in patients treated with probiotics.

Probiotic supplementation was not associated with any side effects and none of the patients required discontinuation of therapy. These results suggest that probiotics are similar in effectiveness to the current standard of care, lactulose, in the prevention of hepatic encephalopathy, yet they appear to be much better tolerated. The effectiveness of lactulose, a non-absorbable disaccharide, is limited by side effects (diarrhea, bloating and gas) and a narrow therapeutic window.

Up to 45 percent of patients with cirrhosis develop hepatic encephalopathy, a loss of brain function that occurs when the liver is unable to remove toxins from the blood. Prognosis is poor, with a 58 percent mortality rate at one year, and a 77 percent mortality rate at three years. Research into safer and more effective treatments is essential for these patients.

The article can be found at: Lunia et al. (2014) Probiotics Prevent Hepatic Encephalopathy in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

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Source: American Gastroenterological Association; Photo: Brian Gratwicke/Flickr/CC.
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