Journal of Research in Medical Sciences1735-1995220201705091066010660ENDepartment of Nephrologhy, Emam Hosein Hospital, Sharoud University of Medical Sciences, Sharoud, Iran.Assistant Professor, Vice Chancellor of Nursing Research Center and Health Research center Member, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.Department of Nephrology, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud,Department of Nephrology, 5 Azar Hospital, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.Assistant Professor, Health Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.20170506<p><span class="fontstyle0">Background: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Chronic inflammation is one of the causes of anemia in chronic renal failure patients under hemodialysis. Probiotics probably establish a balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Te study was conducted to determine the effects of probiotic supplementation on hemoglobin (Hb) in hemodialysis patients. </span><span class="fontstyle0">Materials and Methods: </span><span class="fontstyle2">A parallel clinical trial was conducted in which patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Te intervention group (</span><span class="fontstyle3">n </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 18) was given a 500 mg probiotic supplement (a capsule) every day whereas the control group (</span><span class="fontstyle3">n </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 18) received placebo (a capsule), both for 3 months. Hb levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured for three periods. Te data were analyzed in SPSS-16 using statistical tests including the </span><span class="fontstyle3">t</span><span class="fontstyle2">-test and repeated-measures ANOVA. </span><span class="fontstyle0">Results: </span><span class="fontstyle2">In the probiotic supplementation group, the mean Hb was 9.22 ± 1.04 mg/dl before the intervention and reached 10.85 ± 1.177 mg/dl afterward, while in the placebo group, the mean Hb level was 9.38 ± 0.97 mg/dl before the intervention and reached 10.03 ± 1.97 mg/dl afterward (</span><span class="fontstyle3">P </span><span class="fontstyle2">&gt; 0.05). During the study, the placebo caused to increase of Hb temporary, but in longer term, the effect of probiotic was more manifested. Hb levels increased in both groups although the change was not statistically significant (</span><span class="fontstyle3">P </span><span class="fontstyle2">&gt; 0.05). Te findings showed no significant differences between the two groups in either the pre- or post-intervention CRP levels (</span><span class="fontstyle3">P </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 0.239). </span><span class="fontstyle0">Conclusions: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Probiotic supplementation decreased Hb fluctuations in hemodialysis patients but did not result in a significant increase in Hb levels. Similar studies are therefore recommended to be conducted with a prolonged duration of the study or an increased probiotic dose with larger sample size to complete the results of the present study.</span></p><p><span class="fontstyle2">Key words: Chronic renal failure, hemodialysis, hemoglobin, probiotic</span></p>http://jrms.mui.ac.ir/index.php/jrms/article/view/10660http://jrms.mui.ac.ir/index.php/jrms/article/download/10660/5491