COVID-19 Pneumonia and Gut Inflammation: The Role of a Mix of Three Probiotic Strains in Reducing Inflammatory Markers and Need for Oxygen Support
Angela Saviano, Annalisa Potenza, Valentina Siciliano, Carmine Petruzziello, Claudia Tarli, Alessio Migneco, Flavia Nasella, Francesco Franceschi, Veronica Ojetti
Journal of Clinical Medicine, doi:10.3390/jcm11133758
Background: COVID-19 disease, which typically presents with respiratory symptoms, can trigger intestinal inflammation through SARS-CoV-2 replication in the gastrointestinal tract. Supplementation with probiotics may have beneficial effects on gut inflammation due to their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The primary objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mix of three probiotic strains (Bifidobacterium lactis LA 304, Lactobacillus salivarius LA 302, and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 201; Lactibiane Iki ® ) in the reduction in fecal calprotectin in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, compared to a control group. The secondary aim was to evaluate the reduction in oxygen support and length of hospital stay in patients taking the probiotic mix. Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial at Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli, Rome. We enrolled patients with COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia. One group received the probiotic mix twice a day for 10 days in addition to the standard COVID-19 therapy, and a second group received standard COVID-19 therapy without probiotics. We administered oxygen support (through Ventimask or Optiflow ® ) on days (D) 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10, and the level of fecal calprotectin between D3-D5 and D7-D10. Results: A total of 80 patients (44 M/36 F; mean age: 59.8 ± 17.3) were enrolled with a mean value of calprotectin at enrollment of 140 mg/dL. At D7-10, the probiotic group showed a 35% decrease in fecal calprotectin compared to 16% in the control group, a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) of 72.7% compared to 62%, and a slight but not significant decrease in oxygen support compared to the control group. Conclusion: Supplementation with a mix of probiotics for 10 days in patients with COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia significantly reduces inflammatory markers.
Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Ethics Committee of Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome (authorization #ID3786). Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.
Conflicts of Interest: All the authors declare no conflict of interests.
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'abstract': '<jats:p>Background: COVID-19 disease, which typically presents with respiratory symptoms, can '
'trigger intestinal inflammation through SARS-CoV-2 replication in the gastrointestinal tract. '
'Supplementation with probiotics may have beneficial effects on gut inflammation due to their '
'analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. The primary objective of our study was to '
'evaluate the efficacy of a mix of three probiotic strains (Bifidobacterium lactis LA 304, '
'Lactobacillus salivarius LA 302, and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 201; Lactibiane Iki®) in '
'the reduction in fecal calprotectin in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, compared to a '
'control group. The secondary aim was to evaluate the reduction in oxygen support and length '
'of hospital stay in patients taking the probiotic mix. Patients and Methods: We conducted a '
'prospective randomized controlled trial at Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli, Rome. We enrolled '
'patients with COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia. One group received the probiotic mix twice a '
'day for 10 days in addition to the standard COVID-19 therapy, and a second group received '
'standard COVID-19 therapy without probiotics. We administered oxygen support (through '
'Ventimask or Optiflow®) on days (D) 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10, and the level of fecal calprotectin '
'between D3–D5 and D7–D10. Results: A total of 80 patients (44 M/36 F; mean age: 59.8 ± 17.3) '
'were enrolled with a mean value of calprotectin at enrollment of 140 mg/dl. At D7–10, the '
'probiotic group showed a 35% decrease in fecal calprotectin compared to 16% in the control '
'group, a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) of 72.7% compared to 62%, and a slight but not '
'significant decrease in oxygen support compared to the control group. Conclusion: '
'Supplementation with a mix of probiotics for 10 days in patients with COVID-19 interstitial '
'pneumonia significantly reduces inflammatory markers.</jats:p>',
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