The Effect of Probiotics on the Immune Status, Diarrhea and Bacterial Vaginosis Cure Rate Among HIV Patients

NCT ID: NCT00536848

Last Updated: 2009-01-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

PHASE2/PHASE3

Total Enrollment

65 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2007-10-31

Study Completion Date

2008-08-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to asses whether probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus (GR-1) and reuteri (RC-14) are able to prevent diarrhea, delay the decline of the immune system and prevent and/or cure bacterial vaginosis among HIV patients.

Detailed Description

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Background: Two third of all people infected with HIV live in Sub-Saharan Africa. A region also affected with a great burden of other infectious diseases. Relatively few patients have access to anti-retroviral treatment and many suffer from debilitating diarrhea that causes their immune system to deteriorate. Prevention of infectious diseases among HIV patients is of great importance and makes the immune system deteriorate less rapidly. The track record for probiotics to prevent and alleviate infectious diarrhea is impressive. So, the use of probiotics among HIV patients is a logical step and could be an adjunctive tool for physicians to halt the decline of the CD4 count.

Another important application for the use of probiotics is in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV). BV is a vaginal infection, caused by a group of pathogens, which is extremely common, and estimated to occur in 50% of black African women. In the US, the prevalence is 29%, which again is extremely high. This infection makes a woman more vulnerable to contracting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Having BV is also a risk factor to transmit HIV to a partner or a newborn. Conventional antibiotic treatment of BV has a cure rate of 40% among black African women. A recent study shows that combining the probiotic strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 with an antibiotic has a cure rate of 88%.

Conditions

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HIV Infections Diarrhea Bacterial Vaginosis

Keywords

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Probiotics HIV AIDS Diarrhea Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 Immune system Infectious Diseases Complementary Therapies Treatment Naive

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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A

Metronidazole for 10 days, probiotics for 6 months

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 + Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Metronidazole

Intervention Type DRUG

B

Metronidazole for 10 days, placebo for 6 months

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Metronidazole

Intervention Type DRUG

Interventions

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Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 + Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Placebo

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Metronidazole

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Confirmed HIV infection.
* Participant does not meet the criteria for ARV therapy, CD4 count \> 200, no clinical stage 3 or 4 \[National guidelines, 2005\].
* Having an intermediate Nugent score (4-6), or a positive Nugent score (7-10).

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnancy or lactating.
* Menstruation at time of diagnosis.
* Hypersensitive to metronidazole/warfarin/lithium/disulfiram.
* Not willing to avoid alcohol use during the metronidazole treatment of 10 days.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

45 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Western Ontario, Canada

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Erasmus Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Sekou-Toure Regional Hosipital, Mwanza, Tanzania

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute OR Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Danone Institute International

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania

OTHER_GOV

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza research centre

Principal Investigators

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John Changalucha, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza Research Centre

Locations

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Sekou-Toure Regional Hospital

Mwanza, , Tanzania

Site Status

Countries

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Tanzania

References

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Hummelen R, Changalucha J, Butamanya NL, Cook A, Habbema JD, Reid G. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 to prevent or cure bacterial vaginosis among women with HIV. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2010 Dec;111(3):245-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.07.008.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 20801446 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

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http://www.westernheadseast.ca

a project of the University of Western Ontario to bring probiotics to the developing world

Other Identifiers

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MRRC HIV-Probiotics15

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id