Are synbiotics added to the standard therapy to eradicate helicobacter pylori in children beneficial? a randomized controlled study

Abstract

Aim: we aimed to evaluate the role of the addition of Bifidobacterium lactis-containing synbiotic to the triple therapy in the case of Helicobacter pylori eradication, the dyspeptic symptoms, and reducing the side effects of antibiotics. Materials and methods: a total of 104 children aged between 5 and 17 years, who were histopathologically diagnosed with H. pylori were enrolled in this study, of whom 100 were included in the analysis. Patients were randomly classified into two groups. In the first group, 50 patients were administered amoxicillin + clarithromycin + lansoprazole for 14 days and B. lactis-containing synbiotic. In the second group, 50 patients were treated with the standard triple therapy. All patients were given information after completion of therapy. Results: H. pylori eradication was achieved in 88% in group I who received standard therapy with additional synbiotic and 72% in group II (p = 0.046). The number of patients in the second group who suffered from abdominal pain between the 3rd and 14th day of the treatment was higher (p < 0.05). The addition of probiotics to the triple therapy significantly reduced the frequency of diarrhea, but no significant difference was detected in the frequency of metallic taste (p = 0.04, p = 0.418 respectively). Conclusion: the addition of synbiotic to the triple therapy is effective for eradicating H. py/ori infection in children and is usually helpful to reduce or eliminate dyspeptic symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. This study suggest that improved tolerance to the eradication treatment also reduces the treatment failure by adding probiotics and encourages the future study using probiotic supplementation in H. pylori treatment.