ArticleBMJ open gastroenterology2015
VSL#3 induces and maintains short-term clinical response in patients with active microscopic colitis: a two-phase randomised clinical trial.
Article in BMJ open gastroenterology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heterogeneity in Histological Evaluation of Microscopic Colitis in Randomized Clinical Trials: An Umbrella Review.Inflammatory bowel diseases · 2026Pooled it
- Probiotics for maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Interventions for treating lymphocytic colitis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Lactobacillus plantarum Attenuates Intestinal Inflammation and Prolongs Remission in Experimental Models of Crohn's Disease.Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins · 2026Article
- Gut microbiota regulates gut homeostasis, mucosal immunity and influences immune-related diseases.Molecular and cellular biochemistry · 2025Review
- Interplay of gut microbiota in Kawasaki disease: role of gut microbiota and potential treatment strategies.Future microbiology · 2025Review
- Efficacy and safety of medical therapies in microscopic colitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology · 2023Article
- Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial to Assess the Effect of Probiotics on Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Veterans With Gulf War Illness.Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS · 2022Article
- Diagnosis and Management of Microscopic Colitis in Pediatric Patients.Paediatric drugs · 2022Review
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapeutics: A Focus on Probiotic Engineering.Mediators of inflammation · 2022Review
- Epithelial wound healing in inflammatory bowel diseases: the next therapeutic frontier.Translational research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine · 2021Review
- European guidelines on microscopic colitis: United European Gastroenterology and European Microscopic Colitis Group statements and recommendations.United European gastroenterology journal · 2021Article
- Probiotic mixture VSL#3: An overview of basic and clinical studies in chronic diseases.World journal of clinical cases · 2020Review
- Management of microscopic colitis: challenges and solutions.Clinical and experimental gastroenterology · 2019Review
- Microscopic colitis-microbiome, barrier function and associated diseases.Annals of translational medicine · 2018Review
- Gut microbiome diversity in acute infective and chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases in North India.Journal of gastroenterology · 2016Review
- Effects of a Multispecies Probiotic Mixture on Glycemic Control and Inflammatory Status in Women with Gestational Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.Journal of nutrition and metabolism · 2016Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe probiotic mixture VSL#3 has proven efficacious in inflammatory bowel diseases and irritable bowel syndrome; however, its efficacy in microscopic colitis (MC) is being investigated.
objectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of a multistrain probiotic, VSL#3, in inducing clinical remission and achieving clinical response, as compared with mesalamine, in patients with active MC.
methodsA randomised, open labelled study comparing the efficacy of 900 billion colony-forming units/day of VSL#3 (group (Gp) A) or 1.6 g of mesalamine/day (Gp B) for 8 weeks in 30 patients with MC was conducted. After a washout period of 2 weeks, Gp B received 8 weeks of VSL#3 and Gp A was off medication for the next 8 weeks. The primary end points were clinical remission and clinical response at 8 weeks.
resultsOf 30 patients, 15 were randomised in each arm. 11 patients in Gp A and 13 patients in Gp B completed 8 weeks of treatment. 5 (46%) of 11 patients in Gp A and 1 (8%) of 13 patients in Gp B attained clinical remission (p=0.022). Clinical response was seen in Gp A, as evidenced by a lower stool weight (377.6±104.5 g) as compared with Gp B (507±168.2 g; p=0.03). VSL#3 was effective in maintaining clinical response up to 10 weeks, even after discontinuation of therapy. Secondary end points like stool parameters, histology and well-being improved in both treatment groups.
conclusionsThe probiotic VSL#3 was found to offer the benefit of inducing as well as maintaining short-term clinical response in patients with active MC. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The clinical trial is registered with CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY INDIA; http://ctri.nic.in, CTRI No. "CTRI/2008/091/000086" (registered on: 23/06/2008).
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.