Role of Probiotics in the Management of Patients with Ulcerative Colitis and Pouchitis

Abstract

Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) often requires surgical intervention, such as proctocolectomy with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA). While IPAA improves patient outcomes, it can be associated with pouchitis, a common and debilitating complication characterized by inflammation of the pouch. The development of pouchitis is closely linked to dysbiosis—an imbalance in the gut microbiota. Understanding the role of the microbiota in pouch health has spurred interest in probiotics as a therapeutic strategy. Probiotics represent a promising avenue in the management of pouchitis, offering a natural and targeted approach to improving outcomes for UC patients. This review explores the role of probiotics in the management of UC patients, with a specific focus on preventing and treating pouchitis. We compare the microbiota of healthy pouches to those with pouchitis, highlighting key microbial shifts linked to disease onset and discussing the growing evidence for probiotics as a prevention and therapeutic approach. Future directions should prioritize advancing research to optimize probiotic therapies and establish personalized approaches based on individual microbiome profiles, highlighting their significant potential as a promising treatment strategy for pouchitis.

Keywords

• pouchitis
• pouch
• ulcerative colitis
• probiotics
• microbiota
• IBD