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Prevention
Systematic review and meta-analysis
No consistent evidence to date that prenatal or postnatal probiotic supplementation prevents childhood asthma and wheeze
  1. Michael D Cabana
  1. Division of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
  1. Correspondence to: Professor Michael D Cabana, Division of General Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite #245, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA; michael.cabana{at}ucsf.edu

https://doi.org/10.1136/eb-2014-101721

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    Commentary on: Azad MB, Coneys JG, Kozryrskyj AL, et al. Probiotic supplementation during pregnancy or infancy for the prevention of asthma and wheeze: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2013;347:f6471.

    Context

    Probiotics are ‘live microorganisms, that when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host’.1 Based on the hygiene hypothesis and the potential effects of probiotics on the developing microbiota of the infant, it is thought that early probiotic supplementation might help decrease the likelihood of wheeze or asthma in children.2 ,3 Results from several clinical trials have been mixed. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of prenatal and postnatal probiotic supplements for the primary prevention of asthma or childhood wheeze.

    Methods

    This study reviewed randomised controlled …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.