A prospective uncontrolled trial of fermented milk drink containing viable Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota in the treatment of HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis

Ten patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) were treated in an uncontrolled preliminary trial by oral administration of viable Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) containing fermented milk. HTLV-1 provirus load,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the neurological sciences 2005-10, Vol.237 (1), p.75-81
Main Authors: Matsuzaki, Toshio, Saito, Mineki, Usuku, Koichiro, Nose, Hirohisa, Izumo, Shuji, Arimura, Kimiyoshi, Osame, Mitsuhiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Deltaretrovirus Antibodies - analysis
Disability Evaluation
Female
Fermentation
Flow Cytometry
HAM/TSP
HTLV-1
Human viral diseases
Humans
Immunomodulation
Immunomodulators
Infectious diseases
Killer Cells, Natural - immunology
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota
Lymphocyte Count
Lymphocytes - immunology
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Milk - microbiology
Muscle Spasticity - etiology
Muscle Spasticity - physiopathology
Neurology
NK cell activity
Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic - immunology
Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic - physiopathology
Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic - therapy
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Phenotype
Probiotics - adverse effects
Probiotics - therapeutic use
Prospective Studies
Urination Disorders - etiology
Urination Disorders - physiopathology
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the nervous system
Viral Load
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Summary:Ten patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) were treated in an uncontrolled preliminary trial by oral administration of viable Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) containing fermented milk. HTLV-1 provirus load, motor function, neurological findings, and immunological parameters were evaluated after 4 weeks. Although LcS did not change the frequencies or absolute numbers of all the examined cell surface phenotypes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, NK cell activity was significantly increased after 4 weeks of oral administration of LcS preparation. Improvements in spasticity (modified Ashworth Scale scores) and urinary symptoms were also seen after LcS treatment. No adverse effect was observed in all the 10 patients throughout the study period. Our results indicated that LcS may be a safe and beneficial agent for the treatment of HAM/TSP; therefore randomized controlled studies are warranted.
ISSN:0022-510X
1878-5883
DOI:10.1016/j.jns.2005.05.011