Pharmacy, Health Sciences & Exercise Science
Evaluation of the Safety of Probiotic Use in Transplant Recipients
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Pharmacy, Health Sciences & Exercise Science
Start Date
11-4-2014 8:30 AM
End Date
11-4-2014 10:00 AM
Sponsor
Jane Gervasio (Butler University)
Description
Introduction: Probiotics use in transplant patients is controversial. A number of case reports demonstrated infectious complications of probiotics, especially in groups at high risk for infection; however, some studies have shown that probiotics given immediately after transplantation can help restore normal gut flora and prevent the translocation of bacteria across the gut wall thereby preventing infections in these immunosuppressed patients. Limited knowledge in this patient population demand the need for further research. The objective of the study was to investigate the safety of probiotics in transplant recipients with respect to secondary infections from probiotic use.
Methods: The institutional review board approved this prospective chart review. Waiver of authorization for participation in the study was approved by the IRB, allowing utilization of patient data without requiring subjects to sign an informed consent form. The study was performed to assess the safety of Saccharomyces boulardii, and Lactobacillus species probiotics in transplant patients from January 2011-April 2013 at Indiana University Health Hospital. Kidney, pancreas and liver transplant patients who were > 18 years of age and received 2 or more days of probiotics were included in the study. Patients who were pregnant, had a known hypersensitivity to the probiotic species used in the study or received other probiotics prior to or during admission were excluded. Data was collected from an electronic medical record regarding demographics, admission diagnosis, medical history and concomitant illness, probiotic and duration of probiotic. Data regarding probiotic associated infections such as bactremias or fungemias, endocarditis and meningitis was also collected. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the patients and outcomes.
Results: The study included a total of 79 patients with a mean age of 51.8 plus/minus 13.8 years; 51 percent of the patients were women. The patients received the specified probiotics for an average of 10 plus/minus 7.8 days. All seventy-nine patients safely received the probiotics with no reported infections.
Conclusion: The results of this retrospective review demonstrated that pancreas, kidney and liver transplant patients safely tolerated the Saccharomyces boulardii, and Lactobacillus species probiotics with no reported infections.
Evaluation of the Safety of Probiotic Use in Transplant Recipients
Indianapolis, IN
Introduction: Probiotics use in transplant patients is controversial. A number of case reports demonstrated infectious complications of probiotics, especially in groups at high risk for infection; however, some studies have shown that probiotics given immediately after transplantation can help restore normal gut flora and prevent the translocation of bacteria across the gut wall thereby preventing infections in these immunosuppressed patients. Limited knowledge in this patient population demand the need for further research. The objective of the study was to investigate the safety of probiotics in transplant recipients with respect to secondary infections from probiotic use.
Methods: The institutional review board approved this prospective chart review. Waiver of authorization for participation in the study was approved by the IRB, allowing utilization of patient data without requiring subjects to sign an informed consent form. The study was performed to assess the safety of Saccharomyces boulardii, and Lactobacillus species probiotics in transplant patients from January 2011-April 2013 at Indiana University Health Hospital. Kidney, pancreas and liver transplant patients who were > 18 years of age and received 2 or more days of probiotics were included in the study. Patients who were pregnant, had a known hypersensitivity to the probiotic species used in the study or received other probiotics prior to or during admission were excluded. Data was collected from an electronic medical record regarding demographics, admission diagnosis, medical history and concomitant illness, probiotic and duration of probiotic. Data regarding probiotic associated infections such as bactremias or fungemias, endocarditis and meningitis was also collected. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the patients and outcomes.
Results: The study included a total of 79 patients with a mean age of 51.8 plus/minus 13.8 years; 51 percent of the patients were women. The patients received the specified probiotics for an average of 10 plus/minus 7.8 days. All seventy-nine patients safely received the probiotics with no reported infections.
Conclusion: The results of this retrospective review demonstrated that pancreas, kidney and liver transplant patients safely tolerated the Saccharomyces boulardii, and Lactobacillus species probiotics with no reported infections.