Abstract
Background. Understanding the impact of gut microbiota on the development of osteoarthritis (OA) and investigating the potential of probiotics as a treatment remain crucial areas of research. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a Bacillus-based probiotic in combination with a bioactive marine fish concentrate for the OA treatment. Materials and methods. This study included 38 patients diagnosed with grade II knee OA. A structural-modifying drug containing 0.2 ml of bioactive concentrate derived from small marine fish, was administered every other day in a dose of 2.0 ml (10 intramuscular injections in total) for 21 days. Twenty patients (main group) additionally received a probiotic containing bacteria of the genus Bacillus (B.subtilis, B.licheniformis, B.amyloliquefaciens, B.megaterium, B.pumilus) in the dosage form of oral suspension daily for the entire treatment period of 21 days. Clinical efficacy was assessed by the Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the questionnaire was completed by all patients before the study and after 3, 7, 14 and 21 days of the therapy. Results. The findings showed a significant reduction in pain by 40.6 % (p < 0.001), stiffness by 36.8 % (p < 0.001), and improvement in knee function by 26.6 % (p < 0.05) in the main group (undergoing combined therapy with bioactive fish concentrate and the probiotic) on the 7th day of treatment. In the comparison group, a decrease in pain by 27.4 % (p < 0.05), stiffness by 25.0 % (p < 0.05), and improvement in joint function by 28.9 % (p < 0.05) were observed only on the 14th day of therapy. Conclusions. It was demonstrated that administering a probiotic composition containing bacteria from the genus Bacillus enhances the efficacy of bioactive sea fish concentrate in treating OA. Reduction in pain, stiffness, and improvement in joint function can be observed as early as the 7th day after initiating their combined use. In contrast, when using the bioactive concentrate of marine fish alone, the clinical effect is typically observed by the 14th day of treatment.
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