Table 4.
Results obtained from the analysis of RCTs under study.
| Ref. | Features of the Samples | Products Administered and Respective Doses | Treatment Duration | Results | Outcomes Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [88] | 163 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with chronic constipation | Powder in sachet of Lactiplantbaccilus (1011) |
1 month | Greater increase frequency of defecation in the active group |
All subjects completed an electronic stool diary during the study |
| [87] | 64 children and adolescents between 3 and 17 years old with com constipation | Powder in sachet of Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus + Lacticaseibacillus + Ligilactobacillus + prebiotic substrates (1010) |
3 months | Increase in weekly frequency of spontaneous bowel movements greater in the active group |
Parents reported in a logbook the daily frequency and consistency of their child’s stool |
| [121] | 60 men over 18 years old with constipation | Capsule of Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus + Streptococcus + frutooligosaccharides (108) |
1 month | Greater increase frequency of defecation and improvement in the Bristol scale in the active group |
Assessed by “patient assessment of constipation symptoms questionnaire” and Bristol stool form scale |
| [122] | 49 women between 10 and 50 years old with constipation | Solution of Bifidobacterium (107) |
2 months | Greater increase frequency of defecation and improvement in the Bristol scale in the active group | Assessed by Bristol Stool Form Scale |
| [123] | 100 subjects between 20 and 64 years old with gastric symptoms | Solution of Streptococcus (107) |
1 month | Greater relief of postprandial discomfort in the active group | Evaluated by Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale and Frequency Scale for Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux |
| [85] | 109 subjects over 18 years old with celiac disease | Powder in sachet of Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium (109) |
2 months | Greater decrease in overall symptom severity and improvement in the Bristol Scale in the active group | Assessed by IBS Severity Symptom Score and Bristol Stool Form Scale |
| [93] | 103 subjects over 18 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Lactobacillus + Propionibacterium + Bifidobacterium (109) |
6 months | Greater reduction of abdominal pain, distension, rumbling, and flatulence in the active group | Abdominal symptoms were followed by a symptom diary |
| [94] | 64 subjects between 18 and 75 years old with IBS |
Powder in sachet of Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium + prebiotic inulin (109) |
1 month | The reduction in the severity of flatulence was greater in the active group | Evaluated by a daily diary, Bristol Stool Form Scale, and Visual Analogue Scale |
| [95] | 52 subjects between 18 and 75 years old with IBS |
Medical device with Bacillus coagulans + simeticone |
1 month | Greater reduction in bloating and abdominal discomfort in the active group |
Evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale |
| [112] | 400 subjects between 18 and 55 years old with IBS-D |
Capsule of Bacillus + Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus + Lactococcus + Streptococcus (1010) |
4 months | Improvement in abdominal pain, gastrointestinal changes and higher quality of life in the active group | Evaluated by IBS Symptom Severity Score and IBS Quality of Life questionnaire |
| [119] | 163 subjects over 18 years old with IBS-O |
Solution of Lactobacillus vs. solution of Lactobacillus + polydextrose |
7 days | Decreased fecal pH, intestinal transit time, frequency of sensation of incomplete evacuation, and hard stools | Evaluated by stool samples, red carmine capsule method, and Garrigues constipation questionnaires |
| [96] | 16 subjects between 18 and 75 years old with IBS | Capsule of Lactobacillus (1010) |
1 month | The number of weeks with symptom relief was greater in placebo group than in the active group | Evaluated by an IBS sum score and Bristol Stool Form Scale |
| [113] | 36 subjects between 18 and 55 years old with IBS-D |
Tablet of Bacillus (109) |
3 months | Reduction of symptoms such as bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and improvement in stool frequency and consistency greater in the active group | Measured by modified gastrointestinal discomfort questionnaire, Bristol Stool Form Scale, and Visual Analogue Scale |
| [97] | 153 subjects between 18 and 60 years old with IBS | Capsule of Bacillus (1010) |
2 months | Greater reduction of symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, sensation of incomplete evacuation and flatulence in the active group | Evaluated by IBS symptoms score |
| [114] | 30 subjects between 18 and 75 years old with IBS-D |
Capsule of Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus (1010) |
1 month | Normalization of intestinal permeability and improvement of stool consistency, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and psychological well-being greater in the active group | Evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale, IBS quality of life questionnaire, and “yes” or “no” questions |
| [78] | 86 subjects between 20 and 65 years old with IBS |
Solution of Lactobacillus + Propionibacterium + Bifidobacterium (107) |
5 months | Greater reduction in pain, distension, rumbling, and flatulence in the active group | Symptoms were followed by a diary |
| [120] | 41 women between 20 and 69 years old with IBS-O |
Solution of Streptococcus + Lactobacillus (109) |
1 month | Reduction of maximal abdominal distension and verification of greater colonic acceleration in the active group | Measured by expiratory breath samples and radio-opaque marker ingestion |
| [98] | 56 subjects over 18 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus (1010) |
2 months | Reduction in overall symptom severity in both groups, but more significant in the active group at week 8 | Evaluated by a questionnaire to assess IBS symptoms |
| [99] | 74 subjects between 18 and 70 years old with IBS |
Solution of Streptococcus + Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium (107) |
2 months | Overall symptom severity reduction was more visible in the active group at week 1 of treatment, but no difference existed between the active group versus controls at the end of the treatment | Assessed by a daily questionnaire, Bristol Stool Form Scale, and Quality of Life Questionnaire |
| [100] | 122 subjects between 18 and 68 with IBS |
Capsule of Bifidobacterium (109) |
1 month | Greater reduction of pain, abdominal distension, and urgency to defecate in the active group | Evaluated by 7-point Likert scale |
| [101] | 152 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS |
Suspension of Lactobacillus + Enterococcus (109) |
3 months | Greater reduction in the overall symptom severity in the active group | Measured by IBS Severity Symptom Score |
| [80] | 150 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS-O |
Capsule of Lactobacillus vs. Capsules of Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium (109) |
2 months | Symptoms reduction and improvements in Bristol Scale up to 60 days and maintenance up to 30 days after higher dose in active groups | Assessed by a questionnaire of symptoms, health-related quality of life questionnaire, and Bristol Stool Form Scale |
| [102] | 40 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS |
Powder in sachet of Bacillus (109) |
3 months | Greater reduction of abdominal pain, rumbling, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, and improvement of intestinal transit and stool consistency in the active group | Evaluated by Digestive Symptom Frequency questionnaire, IBS Symptom Severity Score, Bristol Stool Form Scale, and Quality of Life questionnaire |
| [115] | 34 subjects over 18 years old with IBS-D or IBS-M |
Powder in sachet of Streptococcus + Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium (109) vs. Low in FODMAPs diet |
1 month | There was a reduction in the overall severity of symptoms and an improvement in the Bristol scale in both groups, but without significant difference between groups | Assessed by IBS Severity Symptom Score, Bristol Stool Form Scale, and Quality of Life questionnaire |
| [116] | 200 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS-D |
Capsule of Bifidobacterium (109) |
3 months | There was a reduction in overall symptom severity and anxiety scores and an improvement in stool consistency and higher quality of life in the active group | Measured by IBS Severity Symptom Score, Bristol Stool Form Scale, Quality of Life questionnaire, Abdominal Pain Numeric Rating Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Adults questionnaire |
| [89] | 60 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS |
Tablet of Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus (1011) | 2 months | Greater reduction of abdominal bloating, in the active group |
Assessed by a seven-point scale |
| [117] | 80 subjects between 18 and 60 years old with IBS-D |
Powder in sachet of Bifidobacterium + Lactobacillus + frutooligosaccharides (109) |
2 months | Greater overall improvement in symptoms in the active group at week 8 and faster relief of flatulence in the active group at week 4 were noticeable | Evaluated by IBS Severity Symptoms Score |
| [81] | 30 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS-O |
Solution of Streptococcus + Lactobacillus + Bifidobacterium + dietary fiber (107) |
1 month | Increase in species in feces higher in active group; however, after discontinuation they returned to initial values | Participants collected their stool samples, and they were analyzed by real-time PCR |
| [103] | 389 subjects over 18 years old with IBS | Probiotic lysate of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus (107) |
7 months | The improvement in the global assessment did not obtain significant differences, except concerning abdominal pain in IBS-D | Measured by IBS Global Assessment of Improvement Scale and 11-point numeric rating scale |
| [104] | 80 subjects between 30 and 60 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Lactobacillus (109) |
2 months | Pain, bloating, and flatulence improved in both groups, in great numbers in the active group but without statistical significance | IBS symptom score was assessed with Visual Analogue Scale |
| [84] | 200 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS-D |
Capsule of Clostridium butyricum (107) |
1 month | Improvement in quality of life, severity of symptoms, bowel habits, and higher stool frequency in the active group | Assessed by IBS Severity Symptom Score and Quality of Life questionnaire |
| [105] | 104 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS |
Solution of Lactobacillus (109) |
3 months | Only the probiotic group significantly increased serotonin serum levels | Assessed with Center of Epidemiology Studies Depression Revised questionnaire and hormonal analysis |
| [106] | 50 subjects between 18 and 70 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Lactobacillus (108) |
1 month | Reduction in symptoms severity in both groups, without significant difference. Some improvement in abdominal pain in the active group in IBS-D |
Measured by IBS Severity Scoring System and Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index |
| [107] | 240 subjects between 18 and 70 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Lactobacillus (109) |
1 month | Greater improvement in abdominal pain and distension, sensation of incomplete emptying and higher stool frequency in the active group | Measured by a Visual Analogue Scale and the daily number of stools were registered at each visit |
| [108] | 340 subjects between 18 and 65 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Lactobacillus (109) vs. (1010) |
3 months | Reduced sensation of major abdominal pain with both doses in the active groups | Evaluated by IBS Symptom Severity Score and IBS Quality of Life questionnaire |
| [82] | 307 subjects between 18 and 70 years old with IBS-D |
Capsule of Lactobacillus (109) vs. (1010) |
2 months | Decreased symptom severity at both doses, but greater response with higher dose | Assessed by IBS Symptom Severity Score |
| [109] | 133 subjects between 18 and 74 years old with IBS |
Capsule of Lactobacillus (109) |
2 months | Greater overall symptom reduction in the probiotic group and the low-FODMAPs diet group compared to the normal diet | Measured by IBS Symptom Severity Score, IBS Quality of Life questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale |
| [118] | 84 subjects between 20 and 70 years old with IBS-D |
Capsule of Lactobacillus + Pediococcus (109) vs. (1010) |
2 months | Improvement in quality of life and greater gut-specific anxiety in the active group in both doses | Measured by Quality-of-Life questionnaire and Visceral Sensitivity Index Scale |
| [110] | 38 subjects over 18 years old with IBS |
Bifidobacterium (1010) | 2 months | Greater improvement in anxiety, depression, and decreased increased amygdala activation in the active group |
Assessed by functional magnetic ressonance imaging and hospital anxiety and depression scale |
| [111] | 103 subjects between 20 and 65 years old with IBS | Capsule of Lactobacillus + Propionibacterium + Bifidobacterium (109) |
6 months | Greater reduction of pain, rumbling, bloating, and flatulence in the active group | The participants completed a symptom diary |
Abbreviations: IBS: irritable bowel syndrome; IBS-D: diarrhea predominant IBS; IBS-M: IBS alternating between constipation and diarrhea; IBS-O: constipation predominant IBS; low-in FODMAPS diet: diet low in oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and non-fermentable polyols.