Probiotics use is associated with improved clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
Therap Adv Gastroenterol
; 14: 17562848211035670, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1348281
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS:
Currently, there are no definitive therapies for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Gut microbial dysbiosis has been proved to be associated with COVID-19 severity and probiotics is an adjunctive therapy for COIVD-19. However, the potential benefit of probiotics in COVID-19 has not been studied. We aimed to assess the relationship of probiotics use with clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19.METHODS:
We conducted a propensity-score matched retrospective cohort study of adult patients with COVID-19. Eligible patients received either probiotics plus standard care (probiotics group) or standard care alone (non-probiotics group). The primary outcome was the clinical improvement rate, which was compared among propensity-score matched groups and in the unmatched cohort. Secondary outcomes included the duration of viral shedding, fever, and hospital stay.RESULTS:
Among the propensity-score matched groups, probiotics use was related to clinical improvement rates (log-rank p = 0.028). This relationship was driven primarily by a shorter (days) time to clinical improvement [difference, -3 (-4 to -1), p = 0.022], reduction in duration of fever [-1.0 (-2.0 to 0.0), p = 0.025], viral shedding [-3 (-6 to -1), p < 0.001], and hospital stay [-3 (-5 to -1), p = 0.009]. Using the Cox model with time-varying exposure, use of probiotics remained independently related to better clinical improvement rate in the unmatched cohort.CONCLUSION:
Our study suggested that probiotics use was related to improved clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Further studies are required to validate the effect of probiotics in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Language:
English
Journal:
Therap Adv Gastroenterol
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
17562848211035670
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