A potential usage of probiotics in prevention and treatment of neutropenic enterocolitis

Introduction and aim. Neutropenic enterocolitis is a severe disease that affects patients with immunodeficiency and is often related with the chemotherapy of the hematologic malignancies. Its pathophysiology is not fully understood. Neutropenic colitis may lead to sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding and even perforations requiring surgical management. The therapy consists of antibiotic therapy, transfusions, hematopoietic growth factor treatment, usage of fluids and electrolytes, bowel rest and even surgical operations. The aim of this review is to consider the potential usage of probiotics in the prevention and treatment of neutropenic enterocolitis. Material and methods. References for that article were found through PubMed and Google Scholar, using terms: “neutropenic enterocolitis” and “probiotics”, or “gut microbiota” and “neutropenic enterocolitis”. The research was limited to abstracts and available full-text articles. Analysis of the literature. The most possible mechanism of neutropenic enterocolitis development appoints bacterial invasion with co-existing immunodeficiency. The probiotics appeal as beneficial agents in both prevention and treatment of neutropenic enterocolitis in according to their impact on gut immune barrier improvement. However older societies’ guidelines were cautious, the most modern ones appoint probiotics as a promising agent in neutropenic enterocolitis, what corresponds with results from current randomized clinical trials. Conclusion. As neutropenic enterocolitis is a severe disease we need to look for better or alternative therapies of that state. The probiotics seems to have beneficial effects in terms of prevention and treatment of neutropenic enterocolitis due to their impact on gut immune barrier. Benefits of such therapy are reflected in current societies’ guidelines which consider probiotics as a promising agent in neutropenic enterocolitis.