GOALS: The objective of this study was to determine how gastroenterologists 
perceive and use probiotic-based therapies in practice.
BACKGROUND: In the United States, there has been a recent increase in research 
investigating the therapeutic capacities of probiotics in human disease and an 
accompanying increase in product availability and marketing. How medical care 
providers have interpreted the available literature and incorporated it into 
their practice has not been earlier assessed.
STUDY: A 16-question survey (see Survey, Supplemental Digital Content 1, 
http://links.lww.com/JCG/A14) was distributed to practicing gastroenterologists 
and physicians with a specific interest in GI disorders within a large 
metropolitan area.
RESULTS: All physicians responded that they believed probiotics to be safe for 
most patients and 98% responded that probiotics have a role in treating 
gastrointestinal illnesses or symptoms. Currently 93% of physicians have 
patients taking probiotics most often for irritable bowel syndrome. Commonly 
used probiotics included yogurt-based products, Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 
(Align), and VSL#3. Most surveyed physicians recommended probiotics for 
irritable bowel syndrome, antibiotic, and Clostridium difficile-associated 
diarrhea because they believed that the literature supports their usage for 
these conditions. However, physician practice patterns did not consistently 
correlate with published, expert-panel-generated recommendations for 
evidence-based probiotic use.
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests most gastrointestinal disease specialists 
recognize a role for and have used probiotics as part of their therapeutic 
armamentarium; however, the effective implementation of this practice will 
benefit from additional supporting studies and the eventual development of 
clinical practice guidelines supported by the major gastroenterology societies.