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©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
Probiotics in inflammatory bowel disease: Pathophysiological background and clinical applications
Cristiano Pagnini, Gianfranco Delle Fave, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, S.Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome 00189, Italy
Giorgos Bamias, Academic Department of Gastroenterology, Laikon Hospital, Ethnikon and Kapodistriakon University, Athens 11527, Greece
Author contributions: Pagnini C and Bamias G designed the review and wrote the paper; Delle Fave G contributed to the editing of the paper.
Correspondence to: Giorgos Bamias, MD, Consultant in Gastroenterology, Academic Department of Gastroenterology, Laikon Hospital, Ethnikon and Kapodistriakon University, 17 Agiou Thoma Street, Athens 11527, Greece. gbamias@gmail.com
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Received: June 30, 2013
Revised: August 6, 2013
Accepted: August 12, 2013
Published online: November 27, 2013
Processing time: 151 Days and 23.9 Hours
Revised: August 6, 2013
Accepted: August 12, 2013
Published online: November 27, 2013
Processing time: 151 Days and 23.9 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic debilitating diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Current therapies are not effective in a great proportion of patients and are associated with serious adverse effects. The use of probiotics has been tried as an alternative and safe treatment. Herein, we review the pathophysiological basis for such an application and summarize the data from the major clinical trials.