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©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2025; 31(42): 112577
Published online Nov 14, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i42.112577
Published online Nov 14, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i42.112577
Multistrain probiotics alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms during bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection
Wen-Jun Liu, Qing-Qing Xie, Min-Chan Wu, Yun-Feng Pan, Xiao-Xi Shan, Wen-Ting Xu, Yang-Ling Liu, Cai-Xia Peng, Qian Lin, Department of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan Province, China
Yue-Ming Zhao, Hao-Kun Yan, Jin Qiao Biotech Co., Ltd., Huai’an 223001, Jiangsu Province, China
Xiao-Mei Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
Xiao-Mei Zhang, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410007, Hunan Province, China
Co-first authors: Wen-Jun Liu and Yue-Ming Zhao.
Co-corresponding authors: Xiao-Mei Zhang and Qian Lin.
Author contributions: Lin Q, Liu WJ and Xie QQ conceived and designed the study; Liu WJ and Xie QQ developed the methodology; Zhao YM and Yan HK developed the probiotic product; Liu WJ and Xie QQ performed software tasks; Liu WJ, Xie QQ and Lin Q validated the study; Liu WJ conducted formal analysis; Liu WJ, Xie QQ, Wu MC, Pan YF, Shan XX, Xu WT, Liu YL and Peng CX performed investigation; Lin Q provided resources; Liu WJ curated data; Liu WJ wrote the original draft; Lin Q reviewed and edited the manuscript; Liu WJ prepared visualization; Lin Q and Zhang XM supervised the study; Lin Q, Xie QQ administered the project; Lin Q acquired funding. Liu WJ and Zhao YM are designated as co-first authors. Liu WJ co-conceived and co-designed the study, co-developed the methodology, performed all software tasks and formal data analysis, curated the data, produced the original draft, and participated in extensive experimental investigation. Zhao YM co-developed the probiotic product used in this study, provided essential technical expertise for its characterization and validation, and substantially contributed to data acquisition and interpretation. The intellectual contributions of both authors are of equal substance and significance. Lin Q and Zhang XM are co-corresponding authors. Lin Q oversaw the overall study design, secured funding, provided critical resources, supervised the project, administered the project, and took primary responsibility for manuscript review, editing, and communication with the journal during submission, peer-review, and publication. Zhang XM co-supervised the study and provided strategic guidance.
Supported by the Hyproca Nutrition Co., Ltd.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (Approval No. Ke202207156), and the Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University (Approval No. XYGW-2021-105).
Clinical trial registration statement: This study is registered at the China Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.chictr.org.cn/). The registration identification number is ChiCTR2200056446.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CONSORT 2010 statement: The authors have read the CONSORT 2010 Statement, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CONSORT 2010 Statement.
Data sharing statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are not publicly available, as they contain information that could compromise participants' privacy. However, the data are available from the corresponding author at linqian@csu.edu.cn upon reasonable request.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Qian Lin, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Nutrition Science and Food Hygiene, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, No. 172 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha 410078, Hunan Province, China. linqian@csu.edu.cn
Received: July 31, 2025
Revised: September 4, 2025
Accepted: October 13, 2025
Published online: November 14, 2025
Processing time: 105 Days and 17.6 Hours
Revised: September 4, 2025
Accepted: October 13, 2025
Published online: November 14, 2025
Processing time: 105 Days and 17.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 174 adults, a 4-week multistrain probiotics formula mainly containing five Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species added to bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection significantly reduced reflux, dyspepsia and diarrhea scores at weeks 4-8 without affecting eradication rates. Probiotics are a safe adjunct to ease antibiotic-associated gastrointestinal symptoms.