Change of fecal flora and effectiveness of the short-term VSL#3 probiotic treatment in patients with functional constipation
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated gut flora characteristics in patients with functional constipation (FC) and influences of short-term treatment with VSL#3 probiotic on flora and symptom improvement. METHODS: Thirty patients fulfilling Rome III criteria for FC and 30 controls were enrolled. Fecal samples were obtained before and after VSL#3 intake (one sachet twice daily for 2 weeks) and flora were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Symptom changes were also investigated. RESULTS: The fold differences in Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides species were significantly lower in feces from FC, compared to in controls (P = 0.030 and P = 0.021). After taking VSL#3, the fold differences in Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides species increased in controls (P = 0.022, P = 0.018, and P = 0.076), but not in FC. Mean Bristol scores and complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs)/week increased significantly in FC after ingesting VSL#3 (both P < 0.001). Relief of subjective CSBM frequency, stool consistency and abdominal bloating were reported in 70%, 60%, and 47% of patients. After VSL#3 cessation, 44.4% of patients with symptom improvement experienced constipation recurrence mostly within one month. CONCLUSIONS: Bifidobacterium and Bacteroides species might be quantitatively altered in FC. A short-term VSL#3 treatment can improve clinical symptoms of FC. Further studies are needed to investigate VSL#3's additional effects beyond altering gut flora to allevate constipation.
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The difference between adult and pediatric functional constipation patients in response to probiotics may be related to different microbial compositions in adult and pediatric subjects.
“The difference between adult and pediatric patients with FC in response to probiotics may be related to different microbial compositions in adult and pediatric subjects: while adult patients with FC exhibited a decreased abundance of Bifidobacterium [ 26 ], adolescent patients with FC exhibited a trend for elevated abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus [ 27 ].”
From Role of gut microbiota in functional constipation (2021) · cites this paper as [26]
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- Authors
- Kim, S.-E., Choi, S. C., Park, K. S., Park, M. I., Shin, J. E., Lee, T. H., Jung, K. W., Koo, H. S., & Myung, S.-J.
- Affiliations
- Ewha Womans University (KR)
- Wonkwang University (KR)
- Keimyung University (KR)
- Kosin University (KR)
- Dankook University (KR)
- Soonchunhyang University (KR)
- University of Ulsan (KR)
- Konyang University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Choi, Suck Chei
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
- Published
- 2015-01-01
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 111-120
- ISSN
- 2093-0879 (ISSN-L)
- 2093-0887
- PMC
- PMC4288088
- OpenAlex
- W2078272272
- Cited by
- 180
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 8.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- KUMeL Repository (Keimyung University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Ewha Womans University
- Daewoong Pharmaceutical Company
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Keywords
- functional constipation, VSL#3, probiotics, fecal microbiota, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, gut microbiota, stool frequency, stool consistency, bloating
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