Probiotic VSL#3 for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Associated to Fibromyalgia

July 12, 2021 updated by: Elena Pita Calandre

Efficacy and Tolerability of the Probiotic VSL#3 for the Treatment of Patients With Fibromyalgia and Associated Gastrointestinal Symptomatology: a Randomized, Double-blind Clinical Trial

The study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of probiotic VSL#3 for the treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia; 50% of the participants received probiotic and the remaining 50% received matching placebo in a double-blind, randomized design.The treatment was administered during a 12-week period and the participants were followed for an additional 12-week period in order to follow the evolution after treatment.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Many patients with fibromyalgia experience associated gastrointestinal symptomatology such as abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, meteorism, diarrhea and/or constipation. To date there is not any specific treatment for these symptoms that markedly impair the quality of life of these subjects. This trial intended to investigate if the addition of a polymicrobial probiotic product, which has shown efficacy in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, was also be useful to ameliorate the gastrointestinal symptomatology of patients with fibromyalgia.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
110

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
      • Granada, Spain, 18012
        • Instituto de Neurociencias "Federico Oloriz"

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • diagnosed of fibromyalagia
  • experiencing at least 3 chronic gastrointestinal symptoms
  • signed informed consent to participate
  • accept to not change previously prescribed treatment during study duration

Exclusion Criteria:

  • mental illness excepting depression
  • severe organic disease
  • additional gastrointestinal disease excepting irritable bowel syndrome
  • pregnancy
  • breastfeeding

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: VSL#3
probiotic VSL#3, 2 sachets b.i.d for 3 months
Dietary supplement: VSL#3
sachets containing probiotic
Placebo Comparator: placebo
matched placebo, 2 sachets b.i.d for 3 months
Dietary supplement: Placebo
sachets containing placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change, From Baseline to Endpoint (12 Weeks) in the Composite Score of Abdominal Pain, Abdominal Bloating and Metheorism Each One Measured in a 0-10 Visual Analog Scale
Time Frame: baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
Visual analogue scales are frequently used to evaluate subjective symptoms; they range from 0 (no symptom at all) to 10 (worst possible intensity of the symptom) points. In the present case the three most frequent abdominal symptoms reported by patients with fibromyalgia have been selected to compose the primary outcome variable. Total symptoms range was 0 to 30 points. Change = (week 12 score - baseline score)
baseline and twelve weeks after treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change, From Baseline to Endpoint (12 Weeks) in the Total Score of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised (FIQR)
Time Frame: baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
The FIQR is a self-reported, validated questionnaire that evaluates the severity of fibromyalgia symptomatology in a scale ranging from 0 to 100 points; the higher the score, the worse the severity of the disease. Change = (week 12 score - baseline score)
baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
Change, From Baseline to Endpoint (12 Weeks) in the Total Score of the Insomnia Severity Inventory (ISI)
Time Frame: baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
The ISI is a self-reported, validated questionnaire that measures the severity of sleep disturbances in a scale ranging from 0 to 28 points: higher scores indicate more severe sleep disturbance
baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
Change, From Baseline to Endpoint (12 Weeks) in the Total Score of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Time Frame: baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
PHQ-9 is a self-reported, validated questionnaire that measures the severity of depression in a scale ranging from 0 to 27 points; higher scores indicate more severe depression. Change = (week 12 score - baseline score)
baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
Change, From Baseline to Endpoint (12 Weeks) in the Short-Form Health Survey SF-36 PCS
Time Frame: baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
The SF-36 is a self-reported, validated questionnaire evaluating the general health quality in a scale ranging from 0 to 100 points; it evaluates 8 heath domains that yield two summary measures: the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS). Higher scores indicate better general health quality. Change = (week 12 score - baseline score).
baseline and twelve weeks after treatment
Change, From Baseline to Endpoint (12 Weeks) in the Short-Form Health Survey SF-36 MCS
Time Frame: baseline and 12 weeks after treatment
The SF-36 is a self-reported, validated questionnaire evaluating the general health quality in a scale ranging from 0 to 100 points; it evaluates 8 heath domains that yield two summary measures: the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and the Mental Component Summary (MCS). Higher scores indicate better general health quality. Change = (week 12 score - baseline score).
baseline and 12 weeks after treatment
Number of Patients Considered as Responders to Treatment
Time Frame: Baseline and 12 weeks after treatment
Patients that showed at least a a 30% reduction in the score of the primary variable, i.e. the composite ccore of abdominal pain, abdominal bloating and metheorism each one measured in a 0-10 Visual Analog Scale, were considered as responders to treatment.
Baseline and 12 weeks after treatment
Change From Week 12 to Week 16 (Follow-up Period) in the Composite Score of Abdominal Pain, Bloating and Metheorism Among Responders After Discontinuing the Study Treatment
Time Frame: Week 12 to week 16
Visual analogue scales are frequently used to evaluate subjective symptoms; they range from 0 (no symptom at all) to 10 (worst possible intensity of the symptom) points. In the present case the three most frequent abdominal symptoms reported by patients with fibromyalgia have been selected to compose the primary outcome variable. Total symptoms range was 0 to 30 points. Change = (week 16 score - week 12 score)
Week 12 to week 16
Change From Week 12 to Week 20 (Follow-up Period) in the Composite Score of Abdominal Pain, Bloating and Metheorism Among Responders After Discontinuing the Study Treatment
Time Frame: Week 12 to week 20
Visual analogue scales are frequently used to evaluate subjective symptoms; they range from 0 (no symptom at all) to 10 (worst possible intensity of the symptom) points. In the present case the three most frequent abdominal symptoms reported by patients with fibromyalgia have been selected to compose the primary outcome variable. Total symptoms range was 0 to 30 points. Change = (week 20 score - week 12 score)
Week 12 to week 20
Change From Week 12 to Week 24 (Follow-up Period) in the Composite Score of Abdominal Pain, Bloating and Metheorism Among Responders After Discontinuing the Study Treatment
Time Frame: Week 12 to week 24
Visual analogue scales are frequently used to evaluate subjective symptoms; they range from 0 (no symptom at all) to 10 (worst possible intensity of the symptom) points. In the present case the three most frequent abdominal symptoms reported by patients with fibromyalgia have been selected to compose the primary outcome variable. Total symptoms range was 0 to 30 points. Change = (week 24 score - week 12 score)
Week 12 to week 24

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Elena Pita Calandre

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Actial Farmaceutica S.r.l.

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Elena P. Calandre, M.D., Universidad de Granada

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 11, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 31, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 31, 2020

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 2, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 4, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 2, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 12, 2021

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • FMS-VSL3-19

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Yes

IPD Plan Description

De-identified individual participant data for all primary and secondary outcomes will be made available

IPD Sharing Time Frame

One year after study completion

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data access requests will be reviewed by study sponsor and P.I.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • Study Protocol
  • Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP)
  • Informed Consent Form (ICF)
  • Clinical Study Report (CSR)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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