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Results

Thirty-seven patients received S. boulardii and 35 patients received the placebo. As compared with placebo, the S. boulardii group showed a significant decrease in blood and tissue levels of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-α (P< 0.001) and an increase in anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels, as well as an increase in the tissue IL-10/IL-12 ratio (P< 0.001). No significant change in the blood and tissue levels of cytokines was found in the placebo group. Bowel-related IBS-D symptoms reported in the patients’ daily diary improved in both groups. However, overall improvement in the quality of life was more marked in the S. boulardii group. Although baseline histological findings were mild, an improvement was observed in the probiotic group in the lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltrates (P= 0.017 and 0.018), epithelial mitosis (P= 0.003), and intraepithelial lymphocytes (P= 0.024 …