Lactobacillus reuteri in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

Probiotics have proven to be useful in the treatment of a number of gastrointestinal diseases. Probiotics may compete directly with Helicobacter pylori, possibly by interference with adherence or by the production of antimicrobial molecules. Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to inhibit H. pylori in vitro and in vivo, and theoretically may play a role in eradication therapy. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of L. reuteri in H. pylori eradication therapy. This was an open label single center study. H. pylori infection was defined as positive gastric histopathology and C-13-UBT. Intervention consisted of L. reuteri (DSM 17938) 10(8) cfu plus pantoprazole 20 mg twice a day for 8 weeks. Eradication was defined as a negative C-13-UBT, 4-6 weeks post therapy. Compliance was considered good if at least 90 % of the total number of the pills were taken. 21 of 22 subjects completed the study without protocol violation (mean age 52 years; 36 % men). L. reuteri plus pantoprazole twice a day cured 13.6 % (3/22; 95 % CI 2.9-34.9 %) of patients with H. pylori infection by ITT analysis and 14.2 % (3/21; 95 % CI 3.0-36 %) by PP analysis. Overall urease activity assessed before and 4-6 weeks post therapy showed a significant reduction with a difference of mean of 38.8 vs. 25.4 by one-tailed test (P = 0.002). In conclusion, L. reuteri may have a potential role in H. pylori eradication therapy if the cure rate can be improved by changes in dose, dosing interval, or duration of therapy.