Table 3.

Controlled trials of probiotics for the induction and maintenance of remission in adults with ulcerative colitis.

Study	Study design	n	Regimen	Duration (months)	Outcomes
Induction of Remission
[Rembacken et al. 1999]	RCT	120	ECN 1 × 1011 daily versus mesalazine 2.4 g daily (both with prednisone and gentamicin)	3	No difference in induction rates
[Tursi et al. 2004]	RCT	90	VSL #3 9 × 1011 daily + 2.25 balsalazide daily versus 4.5 g balsalazide or 2.4 g mesalamine daily	2	Probiotic with significantly more induction of remission
[Kato et al. 2004]	RCT	20	100 ml daily probiotic milk (BBr, BBi and LA 1 × 1010) versus placebo	3	Significantly better change in clinical activity index, histological score in the probiotic group
[Furrie et al. 2005]	RCT	18	Symbiotic (2 × 1011Bifidobacterium longum and 6 g fructooligosaccharide/inulin mix) plus SD versus SD	1	Improved sigmoidoscopy scores and cytokines compared with controls
Maintenance of Remission
[Kruis et al. 1997]	RCT	120	ECN 1917 5 × 1010 daily versus mesalazine 500 mg PO TID	3	Relapse rates 16% versus 11.3%, statistically equivalent
[Ishikawa et al. 2003]	RCT	21	100 ml daily probiotic milk (BBr, BBi and LA 1 × 1010) with SD versus SD alone	12	Statistically fewer relapses in the probiotic group
[Kruis et al. 2004]	RET	327	ECN 1917 200 mg (2.5–25 × 109) daily versus mesalazine 500 mg TID	12	Relapse rates 36.4% and 33.9%, statistically equivalent
[Zocco et al. 2006]	RCT	187	LGG 18 × 109 daily versus mesalazine 2400 mg daily versus both	12	No difference in relapse rate at 6 or 12 months, but LGG significantly prolonged time to relapse

RCT, randomized controlled trial; RET, randomized equivalence trial; LGG, Lactobacillus GG; ECN, Escherichia coli Nissle 1917; SD, standard treatment; BBr, Bifidobacterium breve; BBi, Bifidobacterium bifidum; LA, Lactobacillus acidophillus; PO, by mouth; TID, three times daily.