Differences were potentially attributable to differences in infant risk , prebiotic formulation or measurement of eczema .
There is insufficient evidence to determine the role of prebiotic supplementation of infant formula for prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity .
Further trials are needed to determine whether this finding persists over a longer period of time , applies to other manifestations of allergic disease , is associated with reductions in allergen sensitisation , and is reproducible
BACKGROUND The composition of the intestinal microflora may be different in individuals with atopic eczema from those without this condition , and such differences may precede the development of eczema .
Prebiotics are nondigestible food components that benefit the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of non-pathogenic bacteria in the colon .
Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotics given to infants for the prevention of allergic disease or food hypersensitivity .
Induction of inflammation as a possible mechanism of probiotic effect in atopic eczema-dermatitis syndrome.
BACKGROUND The immunomodulating mechanisms of Lactobacillus GG ( LGG ) and other probiotics are poorly understood . OBJECTIVE We studied in vivo the immunologic effects of probiotics in infants with atopic eczema-dermatitis syndrome ( AEDS ) and cow 's milk allergy ( CMA ) . METHODS Two hundred thirty infants with AEDS and suspected CMA received , concomitant with elimination diet , either LGG , a mixture of 4 probiotic strains ( MIX ) , or placebo for 4 weeks . All available paired pretreatment and posttreatment plasma sample s ( n = 132 ) were analyzed for concentrations of IL-2 , IL-4 , IL-6 , IL-10 , TNF-alpha , IFN-gamma , soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 , soluble E-selectin , TGF-beta1 , TGF-beta2 , and C-reactive protein . RESULTS In infants with IgE-associated AEDS , treatment with LGG induced higher C-reactive protein levels than in the placebo group ( geometric mean , 0.83 microg/mL [ 95 % CI , 0.56 - 0.81 ] vs 0.42 microg/mL [ 95 % CI , 0.27 - 0.65 ] ; P = .021 ) . Concomitantly , IL-6 levels increased after treatment with LGG ( P = .023 ) but not with MIX or placebo . Soluble E-selectin levels were higher after probiotic than after placebo treatment in infants with IgE-mediated CMA ( LGG geometric mean , 86.7 ng/mL [ 95 % CI , 75.2 - 100 ] ; MIX geometric mean , 91.6 ng/mL [ 95 % CI , 74.8 - 111.9 ] ; and placebo geometric mean , 64.9 ng/mL [ 95 % CI , 53 - 79.3 ] ; analysis of covariance , P = .035 ; LGG vs placebo , P = .023 ; MIX vs placebo , P = .020 ) . Use of MIX induced an increase in plasma IL-10 levels ( P = .016 ) . CONCLUSION Probiotics induced systemically detectable low- grade inflammation , which might explain the clinical effects of probiotics in AEDS and CMA
Differences were potentially attributable to differences in infant risk , prebiotic formulation or measurement of eczema .
There is insufficient evidence to determine the role of prebiotic supplementation of infant formula for prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity .
Further trials are needed to determine whether this finding persists over a longer period of time , applies to other manifestations of allergic disease , is associated with reductions in allergen sensitisation , and is reproducible
BACKGROUND The composition of the intestinal microflora may be different in individuals with atopic eczema from those without this condition , and such differences may precede the development of eczema .
Prebiotics are nondigestible food components that benefit the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of non-pathogenic bacteria in the colon .
Prebiotics ( commonly oligosaccharides ) added to infant feeds have the potential to prevent sensitisation of infants to dietary allergens .
OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of prebiotics given to infants for the prevention of allergic disease or food hypersensitivity .