title: Effects of growing-up milk supplemented with prebiotics and LCPUFAs on infections in young children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of growing-up milk (GUM) with added short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS)/long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (lcFOS) (9:1) (Immunofortis) and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) on the occurrence of infections in healthy children attending day care centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomised double-blind controlled, parallel, multicountry intervention study, 767 healthy children, ages 11 to 29 months, received GUM with scGOS/lcFOS/LCPUFAs (the active group, n = 388), GUM without scGOS/lcFOS/LCPUFAs (the control group, n = 379), or cow's milk (n = 37) for 52 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the number of episodes of upper respiratory tract infections or gastrointestinal infections based on a combination of subject's illness symptoms reported by the parents during the intervention period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children in the active group compared with the control group had a decreased risk of developing at least 1 infection (299/388 [77%] vs 313/379 [83%], respectively, relative risk 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-1.00; logistic regression P = 0.03). There was a trend toward a reduction (P = 0.07) in the total number of infections in the active group, which was significant when confirmed by one of the investigators (268/388 [69%] vs 293/379 [77%], respectively, relative risk 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.97; P = 0.004, post hoc). More infectious episodes were observed in the cow's milk group, when compared with both GUM groups (34/37 [92%] vs 612/767 [80%], respectively, relative risk 1.15, 95% CI 1.04-1.28).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study in children to show a reduced risk of infection following consumption of GUM supplemented with scGOS/lcFOS/n-3 LCPUFAs. The borderline statistical significance justifies a new study to confirm this finding.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand †Department of Pediatrics, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ‡Department of Paediatrics, Clinica Pediatrica da Amadora, Amadora, Portugal §Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand ||Department of Pediatrics, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand ¶Nutricia Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands #Department of Paediatrics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Pantipa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chatchatee
authors.forename: Way S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carrilho
authors.forename: Pensri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosuwon
authors.forename: Nipat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simakachorn
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Bastiaan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schouten
authors.forename: Patricia Logtens-de
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Graaff
authors.forename: Hania
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Szajewska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005632:Fructose; D005690:Galactose; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D056692:Prebiotics; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; D005632:Fructose; D005690:Galactose