The efficacy and safety of adding the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii to standard triple therapy for eradication of H. pylori: A randomized controlled trial

Aim: Evaluating the efficacy and safety of adding the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii to standard triple therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Background: Several probiotics such as Saccharomyces boulardii have been investigated for their clinical efficacy. This probiotic inhibit H. pylori urease by lowering the gastric pH, adhesion of H. pylori to gastric epithelial cells, stabilize the gastric barrier function and reduce the side effects of antibiotics. Patients and methods: In this randomized controlled trial we evaluated 160 adult patients with biopsy confirmed H. Pylori infection referred to gastroenterology ward of Taleghani hospital. The patients were randomized into two treatment regimens: patients in group A (n=80) were given amoxicillin (1000mg, b.i.d), clarithromycin (500mg, b.i.d), omeprazole (20mg, b.i.d) and probiotic of saccaromyces boularidii (Yomogi) (250mg, b.i.d) for 14 days. Moreover, patients in group B (n=80) were given amoxicillin (1000mg, b.i.d), clarithromycin (500mg b.i.d) and omeprazole (20mg, b.i.d) for 14 days. Results: 160 patients (66 male 41.25%, 94 female 58.75%) with the mean age of 47.1±11.4 years were evaluated. The success rate for H. pylori eradication in group A was higher 75(87.5%) than group B 65 (81.2%), but the difference between two groups was not significant (p=0.350). Moreover, in case group, side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and bloating were significantly lower than control group in first and second weeks. Conclusion: This study showed that saccaromyces boularidii decreased the adverse effects associated with H. pylori therapy but did not significantly increase the eradication rate of H. pylori. © 2013 RIGLD.