Home
Search
Study Topics
Glossary
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sponsors and Collaborators: |
University of Michigan Institut Rosell |
---|---|
Information provided by: | University of Michigan |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00396162 |
Chronic sinusitis is reported to be one of the most widespread disorders in the United States. It can be caused by a variety of reasons such as allergy, infection and/or defects in T-cells which help regulate immune function. Medication and other costs related to treatment of nasal and sinus infections are estimated to be more than $60 million annually putting a considerable strain on the economy of health care.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are normally present in the gut of a healthy individual. They are also known as "friendly bacteria" and have been used to help maintain the normal functioning of the immune system. They are safe and are commercially available in the form of yoghurt, sachets, chewable tablets or flavored capsules. Since a number of nasal and sinus disorders are related to allergy and improper functioning of the immune system, we hypothesize that regular use of probiotics may help improve chronic nasal and sinus symptoms by boosting immune responses.
The project we propose is novel because it would be the first study evaluating the usefulness of probiotics for the larger population having chronic sinusitis rather than those having only allergic symptoms. We aim to assess whether regular use of probiotics will help improve symptoms of chronic sinusitis and will have a greater effect than placebo in this regard.
Condition | Intervention | Phase |
---|---|---|
Chronic Rhinosinusitis |
Drug: probiotic containing L.rhamnosus R0011 strain |
Phase IV |
Study Type: | Interventional |
Study Design: | Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Safety/Efficacy Study |
Estimated Enrollment: | 75 |
Study Start Date: | November 2006 |
Study Completion Date: | February 2008 |
Primary Completion Date: | January 2008 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. They are a part of the normal gastrointestinal flora and have safely been used to boost immune responses in patients with perennial and seasonal allergic rhinitis. Their exact mechanism of benefit is unknown but they primarily help to regulate T-cell function which is important in maintaining immune tolerance.
Chronic rhinosinusitis is widely prevalent and affects nearly 16 million people in the US alone each year. It puts a strain on the health resources of the nation in terms of costs related to medications and surgery. Chronic rhinosinusitis can be caused by a variety of reasons including allergy/hypersensitivity, infection, nasal anatomical variations and T-cell regulatory dysfunction. We hypothesize that regular use of probiotics in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis will result in substantial improvement in their symptoms by boosting their immunity and may also help decrease their medication usage.
Our study will be a double-blinded, randomized, control trial. We hope to recruit 100 patients from the University Otolaryngology and Allergy Clinics. Fifty patients will be randomized to the treatment (active) arm and 50 patients to the placebo arm. Subjects will be followed for 2 months during their period of participation in the study.
The main aim of our study is to determine whether regular use of probiotics in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis helps improve their quality of life. Our main outcome of interest is a change in the mean score of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) form in the treatment group and a greater change in the mean score of the SNOT-20 in the treatment arm as compared to the placebo arm. If probiotics are found to be effective, they may be used as a cost-effective, adjunctive therapy for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 15 Years to 70 Years |
Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
The patient must be bothered by each of the two following symptoms(>50% of days in the last 3 months):
A. More than 12 consecutive weeks of symptomatic nasal obstruction and, B. More than 12 weeks of symptomatic nasal discharge.
Exclusion Criteria:
Study ID Numbers: | HUM00006212 |
Study First Received: | November 2, 2006 |
Last Updated: | June 9, 2008 |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00396162 |
Health Authority: | United States: Institutional Review Board |
Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Sinusitis |
Paranasal Sinus Diseases Nose Diseases |