Probiotics Against Postoperative Infections

Surgery is frequently the preferred treatment for colorectal cancer, but it can result in postsurgical infections and even sepsis. Chinese scientists have identified a protein called zonulin produced by the body that regulates what can get through the lining of the intestines. They randomly assigned 150 subjects with colon cancer to take either probiotics or a look-alike placebo for 6 days before surgery and 10 days afterwards. Their data show that probiotic treatment reduced the blood levels of zonulin and the likelihood of systemic infection due to intestinal bacteria. They concluded that the probiotics reduced postsurgical intestinal leakiness, which in turn was associated with fewer postoperative infections.
[American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online Dec. 12, 2012]