Abstract
BackgroundAlteration in the gut microbiota has been proposed in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) pathogenesis, especially in the diarrheal type (IBS-D). We conducted this study to evaluate the fecal microbiota in Thai IBS-D patients when compared with healthy subjects as well as to evaluate the effects of probiotics on changes in the gut microbiota correlated with symptoms.MethodsA matched case–control study was conducted on diagnosed IBS-D patients, based on the Rome IV criteria and healthy controls. Stool samples were collected in preservation tubes. Bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid extraction was performed and amplified. Next, 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid genes sequencing was performed to identify the microbiome in both the groups. IBS-D patients were provided with a probiotic mixture that was rich in Lactobacillus acidophillus and Bifidobacterium bifidum over 8 weeks. Changes in the symptoms, stool characteristics, and fecal microbiota were evaluated and compared with the corresponding baseline values.ResultsTwenty IBS-D patients with 20 age and gender-matched controls were included in this study. The baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the groups, including the mode of birth and the history of breastfeeding in infancy. No significant difference was noted in the fecal microbiota between the IBS-D patients and controls. The IBS symptom severity scales (IBS-SSS) were not statistically different after probiotic prescription; although, the bowel movements, the sense of urgency to go to the toilet and passing of mucous stool had obviously decreased. No change was noted in the fecal microbiota after receiving the experimental probiotic, except for an increase in the proportion of B. bifidum.ConclusionAlteration in the gut microbiota composition was probably not the main pathogenic mechanism in the Thai IBS-D patients assessed in this study. However, modifying microbiomes with potentially protective bacteria seems to be a beneficial therapy.Thai Clinical trial registry: TCTR20191211006, Date of registration: 10 Dec 2019. Retrospectively registered, Clinical trial URL: www.clinicaltrials.in.th
Highlights
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common bowel disorder that result in significant impairment of the quality of life and high healthcare expense [1]
irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is presently classified based on the ROME IV criteria and in accordance with the predominant bowel habits, as follows: IBS with constipation (IBS-C), IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D), IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M), and unclassified IBS [5]
Sequencing of 16SrRNA genes: real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 2‐step reverse transcription‐PCR (RT‐PCR) We focused on the bacterial strains that seemed to be distinct between IBS-D and healthy subjects, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, as well as the common strains of gut bacteria, as suggested by previous studies
Summary
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common bowel disorder that result in significant impairment of the quality of life and high healthcare expense [1]. Several past studies have demonstrated that patients with IBS have alterations in the gut microbiota [7]. A past systematic review highlighted that probiotics is an effective intervention in IBS to improve the global symptoms and abdominal pain [10]. Most of the past studies in terms of gut microbiota diversity as well as the role of probiotics have been conducted in western countries. We conducted this study to evaluate the fecal microbiota in Thai IBS-D patients when compared with healthy subjects as well as to evaluate the effects of probiotics on changes in the gut microbiota correlated with symptoms
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