Table 3.
The characteristics of the included studies.
| Study | Country | Sample size | Intervention | Relevant outcomes | Inclusion criteria | Exclusion criteria | Mean age (years) | Duration | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trial group | Control group | Trial group | Control group | Trial group | Control group | ||||||
| Navarro-López et al. 2019 [15] | Spanish | 45 | 43 | Oral probiotics (Bifidobacterium longum CECT 7347, B. lactis CECT 8145, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CECT 8361) + topical corticosteroid betamethasone in combination with calcipotriol | Oral placebo (maltodextrin) + topical corticosteroid betamethasone in combination with calcipotriol | PASI75, adverse events | Age between 18 and 70 years, diagnosis of plaque psoriasis at least one year prior to the study, mild or moderate severity (PASI > 6), and informed consent signed | 1. Had exposure to systemic corticosteroids, methotrexate, cyclosporine, or biologic drugs in the previous 3 months 2. Antibiotics in the previous 2 weeks 3. Signs of bacterial infection 4. The diagnosis of liver disease with child-Pugh C index 5. Chronic renal insufficiency with creatinine clearance <50 ml/min or serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dl 6. Chronic endocrine, respiratory, neurological, or moderate to severe cardiovascular disease, as well as concomitant skin disease prior to the start of the study |
41.57 ± 13.23 | 43.09 ± 10.32 | 12 weeks |
| Groeger et al. 2013 [16] | Ireland | 12 | 14 | Oral probiotics (Bifidobacterium infantis 35264) | Oral placebo (maltodextrin) | CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 | Aged between 18 and 60 y with mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis with a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) < 16 | 1. Pregnant or breast feeding females 2. Individuals diagnosed with lactose intolerance or immunodeficiency 3. Individuals who had undergone any abdominal surgery (with the exception of hernia repair and appendectomy) 4. Individuals with a psychiatric illness or with significant hepatic, renal disease |
— | — | 8 weeks |
| Lu 2017 [17] | China | 25 | 25 | Oral probiotics (combined Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Bacillus) 1 g bid or tid + oral acitretin 10 mg tid; after 2 months, it was changed to 10 mg bid, and the dose was gradually reduced to 0 | Oral acitretin 10 mg tid; after 2 months, it was changed to 10 mg bid, and the dose was gradually reduced to 0 | Total effective rate, PASI75 | 1. The patient meets the diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris in the “"Guiding Principles for Clinical Research of New Chinese Medicines” 2. Age from 18 to 70 years old 3. The patient or the patient's family voluntarily participate and sign the informed consent form |
1. Received treatment for psoriasis within 1 month 2. Unusual psoriasis 3. Severe chronic diseases of the heart, liver, and kidneys or mental system diseases that make it impossible to communicate normally 4. Patients during pregnancy or lactation |
51.3 ± 5.6 | 52.2 ± 5.9 | 12 weeks |
PASI: psoriasis area and severity index; CRP: C-reaction protein; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate.