Conclusion : Based on the available data and taking into account the safety profile of RCTs , probiotic consumption appears to be a feasible way to decrease the incidence of RTIs in children
Background : Respiratory tract infections ( RTIs ) represent one of the main health problems in children .
Probiotics are viable bacteria that colonize the intestine and affect the host intestinal microbial balance .
Accumulating evidence suggests that probiotic consumption may decrease the incidence of or modify RTIs .
The authors systematic ally review ed data from r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) to investigate the effect of probiotic consumption on  RTIs in children .
Use of a fermented dairy probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei (DN-114 001) to decrease the rate of illness in kids: the DRINK study A patient-oriented, double-blind, cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial
Background : To evaluate whether a fermented dairy drink containing the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 could reduce the incidence of common infectious diseases ( CIDs ) and the change of behavior because of illness in children . Subjects/ Methods : We conducted a double-blinded , r and omized , placebo-controlled allocation concealment clinical trial in the Washington , DC metropolitan area . Participants were 638 children 3–6 years old in daycare/schools . The intervention was a fermented dairy drink containing a specific probiotic strain or matching placebo with no live cultures for 90 consecutive days . Two primary outcomes were assessed : incidence of CIDs and change of behavior because of illness ( both assessed by parental report ) . Results : The rate of change of behavior because of illness was similar among active and control groups . However , the incidence rate for CIDs in the active group ( 0.0782 ) is 19 % lower than that of the control group ( 0.0986 ) ( incidence rate ratio=0.81 , 95 % CI : 0.65 , 099 ) P=0.046 . Conclusions : Daily intake of a fermented dairy drink containing the probiotic strain L. casei DN-114 001 showed some promise in reducing overall incidence of illness , but was primarily driven by gastrointestinal infections and there were no differences in change of behavior
Conclusion : Based on the available data and taking into account the safety profile of RCTs , probiotic consumption appears to be a feasible way to decrease the incidence of RTIs in children
Background : Respiratory tract infections ( RTIs ) represent one of the main health problems in children .
Probiotics are viable bacteria that colonize the intestine and affect the host intestinal microbial balance .
Accumulating evidence suggests that probiotic consumption may decrease the incidence of or modify RTIs .
The authors systematic ally review ed data from r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) to investigate the effect of probiotic consumption on  RTIs in children .