Cited by 91Asthma and respiratory diseasesProbiotics and Fermented FoodsFood Allergy and Anaphylaxis Research

Association between probiotic supplementation and asthma incidence in infants: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Wei, Xiaochen, Jiang, Ping, Liu, Jiangbo, Sun, Rongfei, Zhu, Liqin·2020·Journal of Asthma

Abstract

Objective: The increased social and economic burdens for asthma in infants make the prevention of asthma a major public health goal. Probiotics may reduce the risk of asthma in infants. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown mixed efficacy outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis of RCTs to investigate whether probiotics are associated with a lower asthma incidence in infants. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane library, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to August 2018. RCTs comparing the effects of probiotic supplements with a placebo for asthma or wheeze incidence in infants were included. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using the Mantel-Haenszel statistical method. Results: A total of 19 randomized trials involving 5157 children fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was no significant association of probiotics with risk of asthma (RR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.82–1.09]) or wheeze (RR, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.88–1.06]) compared with placebo. Subgroup analysis by asthma risk showed that probiotics significantly reduced wheeze incidence among infants with atopy disease (RR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.42–0.90]), but no significant associations were found in the other subgroup analyses by participants receiving the intervention, timing of intervention, prevention regimen, probiotic organism, duration of intervention, and duration of follow-up. Conclusions: The use of probiotic supplementation compared with placebo was not associated with a lower risk of asthma in infants. These findings do not support recommendation to use probiotics in the prevention of asthma in infants.

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Crossref · 10.1080/02770903.2018.1561893

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  • Early life treatment with probiotics reduces the incidence of some atopic diseases such as atopic dermatitis, but results in asthma have been less impressive.

    “Although early life treatment with probiotics have demonstrated a benefit in reducing the incidence of some atopic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (Li L. et al., 2019), the results in asthma, to date, have been less impressive (Wei et al., 2020).”

    From Viral Infections, the Microbiome, and Probiotics (2021) · cites this paper as Wei et al., 2020

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Authors
Wei, X., Jiang, P., Liu, J., Sun, R., & Zhu, L.
Affiliations
Tianjin First Center Hospital (CN)
Corresponding author
Zhu, Liqin
Venue
Journal of Asthma
Published
2019-01-18
Volume
57
Issue
2
Pages
167-178
ISSN
  • 0277-0903 (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-4303
OpenAlex
W2909358526
Cited by
91
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7
FWCI
1.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Asthma (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Immunology and Allergy › Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Research
Keywords
probiotics, asthma prevention, infants, wheezing, atopy, probiotic supplementation, infant health
MeSH terms
Asthma, Humans, Hypersensitivity, Infant, Respiratory Sounds, Incidence, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Dietary Supplements, Probiotics

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