title: Probiotics for treatment and primary prevention of allergic diseases and asthma: looking back and moving forward.
abstract: Microbial ecosystems cover the surface of the human body and it is becoming increasingly clear that our modern environment has profound effects on microbial composition and diversity. A dysbiotic gut microbiota has been associated with allergic diseases and asthma in cross-sectional and observational studies. In an attempt to restore this dysbiosis, probiotics have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials. Here, we review treatment and primary prevention studies, recent meta-analyses, and discuss the current understanding of the role of probiotics in this context. Many meta-analyses have shown a moderate benefit of probiotics for eczema prevention, whereas there is less evidence of a benefit for other allergic manifestations. Because of very low quality evidence and heterogeneity between studies, specific advice on the most effective regimens cannot yet be given - not even for eczema prevention. To be able to adopt results into specific recommendations, international expert organizations stress the need for well-designed studies.
authors.affiliation: a International Inflammation (in-FLAME) network of the World Universities Network.|b Department of Clinical Sciences, Pediatrics , Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
authors.forename: Christina E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: a International Inflammation (in-FLAME) network of the World Universities Network.|c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jenmalm
authors.affiliation: a International Inflammation (in-FLAME) network of the World Universities Network.|d Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Canada.
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kozyrskyj
authors.affiliation: a International Inflammation (in-FLAME) network of the World Universities Network.|e School of Paediatrics and Child Health , University of Western Australia, Princess Margaret Hospital , Perth , WA , Australia.
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Prescott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000628:therapy*; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D064307:Microbiota; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000639:trends; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
keywords: Diversity; dysbiosis; eczema; gut microbiome; hygiene hypothesis; primary prevention; probiotic