Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Probiotic supplementation in the first 6 months of life in at risk Asian infants--effects on eczema and atopic sensitization at the age of 1 year.
The role of probiotics in allergy prevention remains uncertain but has been shown in some studies to have a possible protective effect on eczema. ⋯ Early life administration of a cow's milk formula supplemented with probiotics showed no effect on prevention of eczema or allergen sensitization in the first year of life in Asian infants at risk of allergic disease. Further work is needed to determine whether timing of supplementation, dose and probiotic strain are important considerations.
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Early colonization with bifidobacteria and lactobacilli is postulated to protect children from allergy, while Clostridium (C.) difficile colonization might be associated with allergic disease. Previous studies of infant gut microbiota in relation to subsequent allergy development have mostly employed culture-dependent techniques, studied genera of bacteria and the follow-up period was limited to 2 years. ⋯ A more diverse gut microbiota early in life might prevent allergy development and may be related to the previously suggested inverse relationship between allergy, family size and endotoxin exposure.