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Probiotics supplementation during pregnancy or infancy for the prevention of atopic dermatitis: a meta-analysis

Claudio Pelucchi1, Liliane Chatenoud, Federica Turati

  • 1Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Milan, Italy. claudio.pelucchi@marionegri.it

Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.)
|March 24, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Probiotic supplementation during pregnancy and early life may help prevent atopic dermatitis in infants. This meta-analysis found a reduced incidence of atopic dermatitis and IgE-associated atopic dermatitis with probiotic use.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Conflicting evidence exists regarding probiotic efficacy in preventing childhood allergies.
  • Atopic dermatitis is a common allergic condition in infants and young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
  • To investigate the effect of probiotic use during pregnancy and early life on the incidence of atopic dermatitis and immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated atopic dermatitis.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to October 2011.
  • Meta-analysis of 14 RCTs involving probiotic supplementation versus placebo.
  • Calculation of summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using fixed- and random-effects models.

Main Results:

  • Probiotic use was associated with a decreased incidence of atopic dermatitis (RR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.71-0.88).
  • A reduced incidence of IgE-associated atopic dermatitis was also observed (RR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.66-0.96).
  • No significant differences were found across various strata or evidence of publication bias.

Conclusions:

  • Probiotics play a moderate role in preventing atopic dermatitis and IgE-associated atopic dermatitis in infants.
  • The preventive effect of probiotics was consistent regardless of administration timing (pregnancy or early life) or recipient (mother, child, or both).
Abstract

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