Prebiotics in infants for prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity

A prebiotic supplement added to infant feeds might possibly prevent eczema, although the data are limited.

A Cochrane review included 4 studies reporting an allergic disease outcome for 1218 infants. Prebiotics are nondigestible food components that help by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of 'healthy' bacteria in the colon. No significant difference in infant asthma was found between prebiotics and no prebiotics (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.19; 2 studies, n=226). A reduction in eczema was shown between prebiotics and no prebiotics (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.97; 4 studies, n=1218; number needed to treat to benefit (NNT) 25, 95% CI 14 to > 100).

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (more than 20% loss to follow up) and by inconsistency (heterogeneity in results in different populations).

Ədəbiyyat

1. Osborn DA, Sinn JK. Prebiotics in infants for prevention of allergic disease and food hypersensitivity. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007 Oct 17;(4):CD006474 [Review content assessed as up-to-date: 23 August 2012].