Effects of using symbiotics in the clinical nutritional evolution of patients with chronic pancreatitis: Study prospective, randomized, controlled, double blind.

Unlabelled: Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) present malabsorption and changes in nutritional status. In this prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded, intervention study, developed at the Clinic of Pancreas, we aimed to assess whether the use of symbiotics changes the nutritional status, the biochemical data and the intestinal rate of these patients. The intervention consisted of administering 12 g/day of symbiotics composed of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and fructooligosaccharides to the intervention group and 12 g/day of medium absorption complex carbohydrate to the control group.

Polymorphism of cytokine genes (TGF-beta1, IFN-gamma, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha) in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

Objectives: The polymorphisms in cytokine genes have allowed for the understanding of the genetic determinants of diseases. The aims of this study were to describe and compare the frequencies of polymorphisms on the interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, and interferon (IFN)-gamma genes between patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and healthy individuals from Bahia, Brazil.

Methods: Twenty-eight individuals were evaluated at a university gastroenterology outpatient service (4 women and 24 men), all diagnosed with CP based on clinical and radiologic aspects.