Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics and prebiotics in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with constipation.

Background: Few treatment options have been investigated and are now available for the management of constipation in PD.

Methods: We conducted a tertiary setting, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (ClincialTrials.gov number, NCT02459717) in PD patients with Rome III confirmed constipation after a 2-week baseline stool diary. Patients (n=120) were randomly assigned (2:1) to either a fermented milk, containing multiple probiotic strains and prebiotic fiber, or placebo, once daily for 4 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the increase in the number of complete bowel movements (CBMs) per week. The key secondary endpoints were three or more CBMs and an increase by one or more CBMs per week during week 3 and 4.

Results: For the primary endpoint, the consumption of a fermented milk containing probiotics and prebiotics resulted in a higher increase in the number of CBMs (mean, 1.2 [95%CI, 0.8 to 1.6]) than placebo (0.1 [95%CI, -0.4 to 0.6%]) (mean difference, 1.1 [95%CI, 0.4 to 1.8]; P=0.002). For the key secondary endpoints, a higher number of patients in the probiotics-prebiotics group versus the placebo group reported three or more CBMs (P=0.030; 58.8% vs. 37.5%; OR=2.4 [95%CI, 1.1 to 5.2]) and an increase by one or more CBMs (P=0.004; 53.8% vs. 25.0%; OR=3.5 [95%CI, 1.8 to 8.1]) during week 3 and 4.

Conclusions: The consumption of a fermented milk containing multiple probiotic strains and prebiotic fiber was superior to placebo in improving constipation in PD patients.

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/double-blind-placebo-controlled-trial-of-a-fermented-milk-containing-multiple-probiotic-strains-and-prebiotic-fiber-for-constipation-associated-with-parkinsons-disease/