Impact of a Symbiotic Mixture on Moderate-to-severe Diverticular Disease of the Colon

Antonio Tursi; Giammarco Mocci; Paolo Usai Satta; Walter Elisei

doi:10.2174/0115748871308652240712101604

Impact of a Symbiotic Mixture on Moderate-to-severe Diverticular Disease of the Colon

Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2024 Jul 24. doi: 10.2174/0115748871308652240712101604. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Antonio Tursi^{1

2}, Giammarco Mocci³, Paolo Usai Satta³, Walter Elisei⁴

Affiliations

¹ Territorial Gastroenterology Service, ASL BAT, Andria (BT), Italy.
² Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, School of Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
³ Division of Gastroenterology, "Brotzu" Hospital, Cagliari, Italy.
⁴ Division of Gastroenterology, "S. Camillo" Hospital, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 39051586
DOI: 10.2174/0115748871308652240712101604

Abstract

Background: Microbial imbalance is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of Diverticular Disease (DD).

Objective: We aimed to assess the efficacy of a symbiotic mixture (Prolactis GG Plus®) in the treatment of moderate to severe DD, scored according to the Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted enrolling the following patients: at the first diagnosis of DD; in whom DD was diagnosed with colonoscopy and scored according to DICA classification; treated with Prolactis GG Plus® two times/daily for 2 consecutive months; in whom the severity of the abdominal pain was scored with a 10-points visual-analogue scale (VAS) at baseline and the end of follow-up; in whom fecal calprotectin (FC) was assessed at baseline and the end of follow-up as μg/g.

Results: Twenty-four patients were identified (10 males, 14 females; 16 as DICA 2, and 8 as DICA 3). Prolactis GG Plus® decreased the severity of abdominal pain both in DICA 2 (p =0.02) and DICA 3 patients (p =0.01), while FC decreased significantly in DICA 2 (p <0.02) but not in DICA 3 (p =0.123) patients. Acute diverticulitis occurred during the follow-up in two DICA 3 patients but none DICA 2 patients. Add-on therapy was required by eight DICA 2 (50%) and six DICA 3 patients (75%).

Conclusion: In newly diagnosed patients with DD, the symbiotic mixture Prolactis GG Plus® can be a potential treatment for moderate (DICA 2) DD as a single treatment.

Keywords: DICA classification; Diverticular disease; acute diverticulitis; clinical outcome.; fecal calprotectin; symbiotic mixture.