This clinical trial evaluated the effect of a probiotic mixture as coadjutant treatment together with topical steroids in 90 patients with plaque psoriasis. The results showed a larger reduction in the score of severity indexes in the probiotic group compared with the placebo group. Gut microbiota analysis demonstrated the efficacy of the probiotic in modulation of the composition of the microbiota. After the end of the probiotic or placebo intake, patients were followedup for 6 months. The results showed a lower risk of relapse in patients in the probiotic group. The aim of this 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to determine the efficacy and safety of a probiotic mixture in the reduction of psoriasis severity. Ninety 18-70-year-old adults with plaque psoriasis were randomized into probiotic and placebo groups. At 12-week follow-up, 66.7% of patients in the probiotic group and 41.9% in the placebo group showed a reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index of at least 75% (p < 0.05). A clinically relevant difference was observed in Physician Global Assessment index: 48.9% in the probiotic group achieved a score of 0 or 1, compared with 30.2% in the placebo group. The results of follow-up 6 months after the end of the study showed a lower risk of relapse after the intake of the probiotic mixture. Analysis of gut microbiota confirmed the efficacy of the probiotic in modulation of the microbiota composition.

Mucositis is a common and severe adverse effect of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treatments applied to oncologic patients. The development of effective therapies and adjuvant treatments to increase their efficacy and reduce adverse effect is a priority in cancer therapy. Probiotics are non-pathogenic live microorganisms that when ingested in adequate amounts can colonize the intestinal tract promoting the restoration of a healthy gut microbiota and contributing to all its functions including the maintenance of the integrity of the mucosa and the modulation of the immune system. In order to check the possible efficacy and safety of these microorganisms to prevent or ameliorate mucositis′ symptoms, we have systematically searched the bibliographic databases MEDLINE (via Pubmed), EMBASE, The Cochrane library, Scopus, Web of science, and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health of Sciences (LILACS) using the descriptors “Mucositis”, “Probiotics”, “Neoplasms”, “Humans”, and “Clinical Trials”. After applying our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 studies were accepted for review and critical analysis. Our analysis suggests that a combination of Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Saccharomyces boulardii could be a good combination of probiotics to reduce incident rates of mucositis or ameliorate its symptoms in chemo or radiotherapy treated patients.

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Background: The influence of the microbiome on neurological diseases has been studied for years. Recent findings have shown a different composition of gut microbiota detected in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The role of this dysbiosis is still unknown. Objective: We analyzed the gut microbiota of 15 patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), comparing with diet-matched healthy controls. Method: To determine the composition of the gut microbiota, we performed high-throughput sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The specific amplified sequences were in the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Results: The gut microbiota of RRMS patients differed from healthy controls in the levels of the Lachnospiraceae, Ezakiella, Ruminococcaceae, Hungatella, Roseburia, Clostridium, Shuttleworthia, Poephyromonas, and Bilophila genera. All these genera were included in a logistic regression analysis to determine the sensitivity and the specificity of the test. Finally, the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) and AUC with a 95% CI were calculated and best-matched for Ezakiella (AUC of 75.0 and CI from 60.6 to 89.4) and Bilophila (AUC of 70.2 and CI from 50.1 to 90.4). Conclusions: There is a dysbiosis in the gut microbiota of RRMS patients. An analysis of the components of the microbiota suggests the role of some genera as a predictive factor of RRMS prognosis and diagnosis.