Kidney Week

Abstract: FR-PO1232

Use of Multistrain Probiotic Preparation in Patients in the Early Period After Kidney Transplantation: Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Single-Center Clinical Trial

Session Information

• Transplantation: Clinical - Rejection, Biomarkers, and Pharmacology
  October 23, 2026 | Location: Exhibit Hall A, Convention Center
  Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Category: Transplantation

• 2002 Transplantation: Clinical

Authors

• Adamczak, Marcin, Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Marcin Adamczak, MD, PhD

• Pokora, Patrycja, Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Patrycja Pokora, MD, PhD

• Gojowy, Damian, Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Damian Gojowy, MD, DrMed

• Kolonko, Aureliusz, Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Aureliusz Kolonko, MD, PhD

• Wiecek, Andrzej, Department of Nephrology, Transplantation and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

Andrzej Wiecek, MD, PhD, FASN

Background

Dysbiosis, defined as a disturbance in the composition or function of the gut microbiota, is common in kidney transplant recipients. One of the methods modifying the gut microbiota is probiotic supplementation.The aim of this interventional, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was to assess the safety of a probiotic preparation, as well as its impact on clinical outcome, markers of inflammation (serum interleukin 6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP] concentrations), and gut barrier integrity (serum lipopolysaccharide [LPS] concentration) in patients in the early period after kidney transplantation.

Methods

The study included 93 kidney transplant recipients (34 women, 59 men) aged 47.1 ± 14.2 years, who were randomly assigned either to the probiotic group (n = 43) or to the placebo group (n = 50). The probiotic preparation consisted of one enteric-coated DRcaps™ capsule containing at least 10 × 10⁹ CFU of the following strains: Lactococcus lactis Rosell 1058, Lactobacillus casei Rosell 215, Bifidobacterium bifidum Rosell 71, and Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell 52. The probiotic or placebo was administered from 5^th day after kidney transplantation for 3 months. Patients were followed for a total of 12 months.

Results

No significant differences were found between both analyzed groups in terms of mortality or in the incidence of infectious and non-infectious complications. In the probiotic group, there was a trend toward a lower risk of hospitalization due to infections compared with the placebo group (2/36 vs 7/41 patients, RR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.07–1.42; p = 0.15). No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of IL-6, CRP, or LPS concentrations.

Conclusion

1. The use of the investigated probiotic preparation is safe in patients in the early period after kidney transplantation, but it does not significantly affect prognosis or markers of inflammation and intestinal barrier integrity. 2. The observed trend towards a lower frequency of hospitalization due to infections reveals the need to conduct a similar multicenter study involving a larger number of patients.

Funding

• Government Support – Non-U.S.