Effects of Bifidobacteria Use After Gastric Cancer Surgery on Intestinal Flora and Serum Corticotropin-Releasing Factor

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of bifidobacteria use after gastric cancer surgery on intestinal flora and serum expression of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). The patients treated with bifidobacteria were significantly less prone to complications such as reflux, vomiting, abdominal distention, diarrhea and constipation than the control group. After treatment, the numbers of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Eubacterium and Peptococcus in the treatment group were significantly higher than in the control group and the numbers of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus and Clostridium were significantly lower. The serum CRF expression levels of treatment and control groups were (265.34 ± 31.78) and (286.25 ± 25.92) ng/mL respectively after treatment, which were both significantly lower than those before treatment, i.e. (310.54 ± 30.75) ng/mL and (309.65 ± 30.87) ng/mL (P < 0.05). Administering patients after gastric cancer surgery with bifidobacteria can effectively restore the intestinal flora imbalance and promote the reduction of serum CRF expression, thereby reducing the incidence of complications and benefiting the prognosis.