TY - JOUR
T1 - Probiotics for respiratory tract infections in children attending day care centers − a systematic review
AU - Laursen, Rikke Pilmann
AU - Hojsak, Iva
N1 - CURIS 2018 NEXS 202
PY - 2018/7/1
Y1 - 2018/7/1
N2 - Probiotics have been suggested to have a preventive effect on respiratory tract infections (RTIs), but limited evidence exist on strain-specific effects. The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate strain-specific probiotic effects on RTIs in children attending day care. We included 15 RCTs with 5121 children in day care settings (aged 3 months to 7 years), but due to high diversity in reported outcomes, different number of RCTs were available for evaluated outcomes. Twelve RCTs (n = 4527) reported results which could be compared in at least one outcome of the meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) significantly reduced duration of RTIs (three RCTs, n = 1295, mean difference − 0.78 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) − 1.46; − 0.09), whereas no effect was found on other evaluated outcomes. Based on the results from two studies (n = 343), Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 showed no effect on duration of RTIs or on absence from day care. Meta-analyses on other strains or their combination were not possible due to limited data and different outcome measures. Conclusion: LGG is modestly effective in decreasing the duration of RTIs. More RCTs investigating specific probiotic strains or their combinations in prevention of RTIs are needed.What is known:• Previously published systematic reviews have suggested that probiotics may have a preventive effect on respiratory infections, but limited data exist on strain specific effects.What is new:• This systematic review showed that use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modestly reduces the duration of respiratory tract infections.
AB - Probiotics have been suggested to have a preventive effect on respiratory tract infections (RTIs), but limited evidence exist on strain-specific effects. The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate strain-specific probiotic effects on RTIs in children attending day care. We included 15 RCTs with 5121 children in day care settings (aged 3 months to 7 years), but due to high diversity in reported outcomes, different number of RCTs were available for evaluated outcomes. Twelve RCTs (n = 4527) reported results which could be compared in at least one outcome of the meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) significantly reduced duration of RTIs (three RCTs, n = 1295, mean difference − 0.78 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) − 1.46; − 0.09), whereas no effect was found on other evaluated outcomes. Based on the results from two studies (n = 343), Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 showed no effect on duration of RTIs or on absence from day care. Meta-analyses on other strains or their combination were not possible due to limited data and different outcome measures. Conclusion: LGG is modestly effective in decreasing the duration of RTIs. More RCTs investigating specific probiotic strains or their combinations in prevention of RTIs are needed.What is known:• Previously published systematic reviews have suggested that probiotics may have a preventive effect on respiratory infections, but limited data exist on strain specific effects.What is new:• This systematic review showed that use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG modestly reduces the duration of respiratory tract infections.
KW - Acute otitis media
KW - Children
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - RCT
KW - Respiratory infections
U2 - 10.1007/s00431-018-3167-1
DO - 10.1007/s00431-018-3167-1
M3 - Review
C2 - 29752587
AN - SCOPUS:85046820522
SN - 0340-6199
VL - 177
SP - 979
EP - 994
JO - Acta Paediatrica Hungarica
JF - Acta Paediatrica Hungarica
IS - 7
ER -