Clinical trial: probiotic treatment of acute distal ulcerative colitis with rectally administered Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN)

BACKGROUND: Probiotics are effective in inflammatory bowel diseases. Clinical effectiveness and dose dependency of E. coli Nissle (EcN) enemas were investigated in ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: In a double-blind study, 90 patients with moderate distal activity in UC were randomly assigned to treatment with either 40, 20, or 10 ml enemas (N = 24, 23, 23) containing 10E8 EcN/ml or placebo (N = 20). The study medication was taken once daily for at least 2 weeks. After 2, 4 and/or 8 weeks the clinical DAI was assessed together with tolerance to treatment. Patients who reached clinical DAI ≤ 2 within that time were regarded as responders. RESULTS: According to ITT analysis the number of responders was not significantly higher in the EcN group than in the placebo group (p = 0.4430, 2-sided). However, the Jonckheere-Terpstra rank correlation for dose-dependent efficacy indicated a significant correlation of per-protocol responder rates (p = 0.0446, 2-sided). Time to remission was shortest with EcN 40 ml, followed by EcN 20 ml. The number of adverse events did not differ notably. CONCLUSION: In contrast to ITT analysis, efficacy of rectal EcN application was significant in PP and points to EcN as a well tolerated treatment alternative in moderate distal UC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register DRK00000234.