Clinical Trial: Probiotics in Patients With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Probiotics in Patients With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease- a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over Trial

Brief Summary: PSC is a progressive liver disease without effective medical treatment. There is often co-existent ulcerative colitis. Probiotics (bacterial food supplements) have been shown to benefit patients with ulcerative colitis. In the current protocol potential beneficial effects of probiotics on liver biochemistry and liver related symptoms as pruritus are being assessed in 12 PSC patients in a randomized controlled cross over study (3 months probiotics, 1 one wash-out and 3 months placebo).

Detailed Summary:

I. INTRODUCTION Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a progressive cholestatic liver disease characterized by multifocal strictures of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, which frequently leads to biliary cirrhosis and liver failure. The aetiology of PSC is unknown but is thought to be (auto)immune-mediated. Nevertheless, in a number of randomized controlled trials a clear benefit of treatment with various immunosuppressive agents, such as D-penicillamine, methotrexate, corticosteroids or nicotine, could not be demonstrated. Although treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves serum liver tests and is prescribed on a large scale for PSC patients, this therapeutic modality may have no beneficial effect on the course of the disease.

70 - 90% of patients with PSC have concurrent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), mostly ulcerative colitis. Conversely, 7% of patients with IBD have PSC. The close association between inflammatory bowel disease and PSC suggests that substances originating from the inflamed gut may damage the liver and biliary tree. Bacterial products may act as toxic proinflammatory agents. N-formyl L-methionine L-leucine L-tyrosine is a peptide produced by enteric flora. When this peptide was introduced into the colon of rats with colitis, it was absorbed, underwent enterohepatic circulation, and appeared undegraded in bile. Histologic changes in the livers of the rats resembled those in PSC.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that are used to redress the bacterial composition of the enteric flora which may be altered in disease. Beneficial effects of probiotics have already been described in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, pouchitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Probiotic bacteria have also been shown to counteract inflammatory processes by enhancing the degradation of ente
Sponsor: UMC Utrecht

Current Primary Outcome: Assessment of the effects of treatment with probiotics on serum liver tests

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome: Assessment of the effects of treatment with probiotics on fatigue and pruritus

Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: UMC Utrecht

Dates:
Date Received: September 8, 2005
Date Started: January 2005
Date Completion: May 2006
Last Updated: January 8, 2007
Last Verified: January 2007