Probiotics for the treatment of upper and lower respiratory-tract infections in children: systematic review based on randomized clinical trials
Journal Title: Jornal de Pediatria - Year 2015, Vol 91, Issue 5
Abstract
Objectives Evaluate the effect of probiotics on the symptoms, duration of disease, and the occurrence of new episodes of upper and lower respiratory infections in healthy children. Sources In order to identify eligible randomized controlled trials, two reviewers accessed four electronic databases [MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus (Elsevier), Web of Science, and Cochrane (Cochrane VHL)], as well as ClinicalTrials.gov until January 2015. Descriptors were determined by using the Medical Subject Headings tool, following the same search protocol. Summary of the findings Studies showed to be heterogeneous regarding strains of probiotics, the mode of administration, the time of use, and outcomes. The present review identified 11 peer-reviewed, randomized clinical trials, which analyzed a total of 2417 children up to 10 incomplete years of age. In the analysis of the studies, reduction in new episodes of disease was a favorable outcome for the use of probiotics in the treatment of respiratory infections in children. It is noteworthy that most of these studies were conducted in developed countries, with basic sanitation, health care, and strict, well-established and well-organized guidelines on the use of probiotics. Adverse effects were rarely reported, demonstrating probiotics to be safe. Conclusions Despite the encouraging results – reducing new episodes of respiratory infections – the authors emphasize the need for further research, especially in developing countries, where rates of respiratory infections in children are higher when compared to the high per capita-income countries identified in this review.
Authors and Affiliations
Georgia de Araujo
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP556041
- DOI 10.1016/j.jped.2015.03.002
- Views 67
- Downloads 0
Factors related to the association of social anxiety disorder and alcohol use among adolescents: a systematic review
Objective To identify the risk factors related to the association between social anxiety disorder and alcohol use in adolescents. Source of data The PICO research strategy was used to perform a systematic review in Medl...
Body mass index and physical fitness in Brazilian adolescents
Objective Evaluate the relationship between body mass index and physical fitness in a cross-sectional sample of Brazilian youth. Methods Participants were 3849 adolescents (2027 girls) aged 10–17 years. Weight and heigh...
Establishment of nasal breathing should be the ultimate goal to secure adequate craniofacial and airway development in children
As shown for many years and studied again by Chambi-Rocha et al.1 in this issue of the Journal, chronic mouth breathing during active craniofacial development of a child may result in anatomical changes that directly aff...
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and changing epidemiology of childhood bacterial meningitis
Since the inclusion of Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine (HibCV) into childhood immunization programs, there has been virtual elimination of Hib meningitis in high- and low-income countries.1,2 This re...
Answer to Letter to the Editor “Some flaws that could change the effect sizes and limit the extrapolation of these results”
Dear Editor, We appreciate the attention of those who read and analyzed our work; we found the comments and considerations made about the recently published article very interesting. Please find below the answers to the...