According to a study published in It is said that it may be able to improve autoimmune diseases. BMC Medicine.¹

Previous data have shown an association between autoimmune diseases and factors such as genetic, environmental, and gut microbiota. In addition, ‘fecal transplants’ have been used for some time to treat ulcerative colitis because of their ability to alter the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota, but this therapy is still in its infancy.²

“Probiotics is a general term for a type of active microorganisms that colonize the host’s intestines and have beneficial effects on the body,” a group of Chinese researchers wrote. “By interacting with host cells, host cells influence the composition and structural integrity of the gut microbiota, thereby influencing metabolism and immunity.”

Previous studies have shown that gut microbiota-based therapies may be a potentially effective method for treating autoimmune diseases, but a systematic overview is lacking. Masu. Therefore, in a systemic review and meta-analysis, researchers searched PubMed, Embase, Sinomed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and other databases to find out more about probiotic-induced autoimmunity from inception to June 2022. We identified eligible trials related to disease treatment.

Outcomes were disease efficacy indicators including Disease Activity Score (DAS28) in 28 joints, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Measurement (SLEDAI).

Risk of bias was assessed by two researchers, and RevMan 5.4 software was used for the meta-analysis.

Out of a total of 5,799 studies, 80 randomized controlled trials and 14 types of autoimmune diseases were identified. Among these groups, some randomized controlled trials included an experimental group, which was then divided into “a” and “b”. These trials were conducted in 27 countries and territories, including Sweden, Italy, China, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, India, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Poland, and the United States.

Gut microbiota-based therapy reduced pain in fibromyalgia patients, but Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire scores were not significant.

Only one of these trials reported adverse events, including abnormalities in liver function, infections, diarrhea, tachycardia, and other side effects between patients receiving probiotics and the control group. No significant difference was found in the rates.

Regarding DAS28, there was no significant difference in scores between the probiotic cohort and the control group. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the number of tender and swollen joints between cohorts. Interestingly, PASI scores improved in the probiotic group when compared to the control group.

Treatment can improve hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1Dm). However, its effect on total insulin requirements does not appear to be significant.

Probiotic therapy did not increase the incidence of adverse events in this patient population.

The researchers focused on potential sources of bias due to the sample itself or inappropriate experimental methods. For this reason, researchers categorized the data as 1) high risk, 2) indeterminate, and 3) low risk.

“This meta-analysis shows that probiotics improve endoscopic scores in patients with ulcerative colitis, improve overall response rates (reduce inefficiency), reduce disease activity, and reduce C-reactive protein. “We also showed that it was able to reduce (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels,” the researchers concluded, “with no obvious adverse events.” “However, due to the small number of randomized controlled trials, no firm conclusions can be drawn, and more randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm or modify the results.”

References

1. ^{Zeng L, Yang K, He Q et al. Efficacy and safety of gut microbiota-based treatments in autoimmune and rheumatic diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 80 randomized controlled trials. BMC Med. 2024;22(1):110. Published March 13, 2024. doi:10.1186/s12916-024-03303-4}
2. ^{Azeni F, Gerardi MC, Barilaro G, et al. Interstitial pneumonia in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a comprehensive review. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2018;14(1):69–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/1744666X.2018.1411190.}