Effects of probiotics, lactitol and rifaximin on intestinal flora and fecal excretion of organic acids in cirrhotic patients

摘要

The aim of the present study was to assess fecal organic acid excretion and gut flora changes in a group of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis without hepatic encephalopathy by comparing pro-biotic therapy with more common therapeutic approaches.Thirty patients with compensated Child B liver cirrhosis were allocated into one of three matched groups, which were randomly given one of three 3-week oral treatments: (i) lactitol 20 g t.i.d.; (ii) 400 mg rifaximin b.i.d.; or (iii) the synbiotic SCM-III (Microflorana-F, Named, Lesmo, Italy) 10 mL t.i.d. Stool samples were collected at both the time of entry into the study and at the end of the trial period for the assessment of intestinal bacterial flora and for the determination of fecal pH and of organic acid concentration.