Probiotics for childhood functional gastrointestinal disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to investigate the quantity and quality of the current evidence regarding the effect of different probiotic strains in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) in children and adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Probiotics are more effective than placebo in the treatment of patients with abdominal pain-related FGID, especially with respect to patients with irritable bowel syndrome. To date, however, probiotics have not proved effective for children with functional constipation.
Department of Pediatrics, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.
Judith J
JJ
Korterink
Lize
L
Ockeloen
Marc A
MA
Benninga
Merit M
MM
Tabbers
Mirrian
M
Hilbink
Judith M
JM
Deckers-Kocken
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
Children; Constipation; Functional abdominal pain; Functional gastrointestinal disorders; Probiotic