- 2017-03-07
- Italian journal of pediatrics 43(1)
- Michele Miraglia Del Giudice
- Cristiana Indolfi
- Michele Capasso
- Nunzia Maiello
- Fabio Decimo
- Giorgio Ciprandi
Study Design
- Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- Sample size
- n = 40
- Population
- 40 children (18 males; mean age 9 ± 2.2 years) with allergic rhinitis and intermittent asthma due to Parietaria allergy
- Methods
- placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and randomized; 1 sachet/day of probiotics or placebo for 4 weeks
- Blinding
- Double-blind
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- Funding
- Unclear
Background
Allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma are caused by an IgE-mediated inflammatory reaction. Probiotics may exert anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory activity. Thus, this study aimed at investigating whether a Bifidobacteria mixture could be able to relieve nasal symptoms, and affect quality of life (QoL) in children with AR and intermittent asthma due to Parietaria allergy.Materials and methods
The present study was conducted as placebo-controlled, double-blinded, and randomized. Globally, 40 children (18 males; mean age 9 ± 2.2 years) were enrolled. They were treated with probiotics or placebo: 1 sachet/day for 4 weeks. AR symptoms, and QoL were assessed at baseline and after treatment. Use of rescue medications, such as cetirizine syrup and salbutamol spray, was also permitted and recorded.Results
Children treated with probiotic mixture achieved a significant improvement of symptoms (p < 0.005), and QoL ((p < 0.001). Placebo group had worsening of symptoms (p < 0.005) and QoL (p < 0.001). The use of rescue medications was overlapping in the two groups. The intergroup analysis showed that probiotic mixture was significantly superior than placebo for all parameters.Conclusions
The current study demonstrated that a Bifidobacteria mixture was able of significantly improving AR symptoms and QoL in children with pollen-induced AR and intermittent asthma.Clinical trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT02807064 .