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Cited by 569Probiotics and Fermented FoodsPediatric health and respiratory diseasesHerbal Medicine Research Studies

Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections

Hao, Qiukui, Dong, Bi Rong, Wu, Taixiang·2015·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd006895.pub3
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Probiotics may improve a person's health by regulating their immune function. Some trials have shown that probiotic strains can prevent respiratory infections. Even though the previous version of our review showed benefits of probiotics for acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), several new studies have been published. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of probiotics (any specified strain or dose), compared with placebo, in the prevention of acute URTIs in people of all ages, at risk of acute URTIs. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL (2014, Issue 6), MEDLINE (1950 to July week 3, 2014), EMBASE (1974 to July 2014), Web of Science (1900 to July 2014), the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, which includes the China Biological Medicine Database (from 1978 to July 2014), the Chinese Medicine Popular Science Literature Database (from 2000 to July 2014) and the Masters Degree Dissertation of Beijing Union Medical College Database (from 1981 to July 2014). We also searched the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov for completed and ongoing trials on 31 July 2014. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing probiotics with placebo to prevent acute URTIs. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility and quality of trials, and extracted data using the standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collaboration. MAIN RESULTS: We included 13 RCTs, although we could only extract data to meta-analyse 12 trials, which involved 3720 participants including children, adults (aged around 40 years) and older people. We found that probiotics were better than placebo when measuring the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI (at least one episode: odds ratio (OR) 0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 0.76, P value < 0.001, low quality evidence; at least three episodes: OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.80, P value = 0.002, low quality evidence); the mean duration of an episode of acute URTI (mean difference (MD) -1.89; 95% CI -2.03 to -1.75, P value < 0.001, low quality evidence); reduced antibiotic prescription rates for acute URTIs (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.94, moderate quality evidence) and cold-related school absence (OR 0.10; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.47, very low quality evidence). Probiotics and placebo were similar when measuring the rate ratio of episodes of acute URTI (rate ratio 0.83; 95% CI 0.66 to 1.05, P value = 0.12, very low quality evidence) and adverse events (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.19, P value = 0.40, low quality evidence). Side effects of probiotics were minor and gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common. We found that some subgroups had a high level of heterogeneity when we conducted pooled analyses and the evidence level was low or very low quality. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics were better than placebo in reducing the number of participants experiencing episodes of acute URTI, the mean duration of an episode of acute URTI, antibiotic use and cold-related school absence. This indicates that probiotics may be more beneficial than placebo for preventing acute URTIs. However, the quality of the evidence was low or very low.

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Crossref · 10.1002/14651858.cd006895.pub3

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  • A significant number of clinical trials have examined the efficacy of probiotics in the prevention of URTIs.

    “Hao et al. [156] stated that a significant number of clinical trials have examined the efficacy of probiotics in the prevention of URTIs”

    From The Potential Impact of Probiotics on Human Health: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties (2024) · cites this paper as [156]

  • Probiotics are believed to prevent respiratory tract infections in similar ways to the prevention of GI infections, namely by modulating local and systemic immunity.

    “and probiotics are believed to prevent respiratory tract infections in similar ways to the prevention of gastrointestinal (GI) infections, namely, by modulating local and systemic immunity.”

    From The Potential Impact of Probiotics on Human Health: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties (2024) · cites this paper as [156]

  • Specific effects of probiotics may include increased phagocytic activity of peripheral leukocytes, increased secretion of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM), and increased production of cytokines: interleukins, TNF-a, and interferon-α.

    “Specific effects may include increased phagocytic activity of peripheral leukocytes, increased secretion of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM), and increased production of cytokines: interleukins, TNF-a, and interferon-α (IFN).”

    From The Potential Impact of Probiotics on Human Health: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties (2024) · cites this paper as [156]

  • In a Cochrane review, 12 RCTs of probiotics for prevention of URTIs involving 3720 participants were examined.

    “In a Cochrane review, the same researchers [156] examined 12 RCTs of probiotics for the prevention of URTIs, involving a total of 3720 participants.”

    From The Potential Impact of Probiotics on Human Health: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties (2024) · cites this paper as [156]

  • Probiotics were better than placebo based on number of participants experiencing acute URTI episodes, average duration of an acute URTI episode, reduced rates of antibiotic prescriptions for acute URTIs, and number of school absences due to colds.

    “The researchers stated that probiotics were better than the placebo based on measurements of the number of participants experiencing acute URTI episodes, the average duration of an acute URTI episode, the reduced rates of antibiotic prescriptions for acute URTIs, and the number of school absences due to colds [156].”

    From The Potential Impact of Probiotics on Human Health: An Update on Their Health-Promoting Properties (2024) · cites this paper as [156]

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Authors
Hao, Q., Dong, B. R., & Wu, T.
Affiliations
Sichuan University (CN)
ORCID
Hao, Qiukui
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-02-03
Issue
2
Pages
CD006895-CD006895
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
DOI
10.1002/14651858.cd006895.pub3
OpenAlex
W1957322304
Cited by
569
References
95
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 72 · 2021: 89 · 2020: 68 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 17
FWCI
6.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
new_version (2022-08-24)
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Emergency Medical Services › Pediatric health and respiratory diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Herbal Medicine Research Studies
Keywords
probiotics, acute upper respiratory tract infection, infection control, immune function, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum
MeSH terms
Acute Disease, Adult, Aged, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Respiratory Tract Infections, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Probiotics

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