A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal

Postbiotics for Preventing and Treating Common Infectious Diseases in Children: A Systematic Review




AuthorsJeadran Malagon Rojas, Anastasia Mantziari, Seppo Salminen, Hania Szajewska

PublisherMDPI AG

Publication year2020

JournalNutrients

Journal acronymNutrients

Article number389

Volume12

Issue2

eISSN2072-6643

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020389

Web address https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/2/389

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/45420833


Abstract

Postbiotics have recently been tentatively defined as bioactive compounds produced during a fermentation process (including microbial cells, cell constituents and metabolites) that supports health and/or wellbeing. Postbiotics are currently available in some infant formulas and fermented foods. We systematically reviewed evidence on postbiotics for preventing and treating common infectious diseases among children younger than 5 years. The PubMed, Embase, SpringerLink, and ScienceDirect databases were searched up to March 2019 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing postbiotics with placebo or no intervention. Seven RCTs involving 1740 children met the inclusion criteria. For therapeutic trials, supplementation with heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus LB reduced the duration of diarrhea (4 RCTs, n = 224, mean difference, MD, −20.31 h, 95% CI −27.06 to −13.57). For preventive trials, the pooled results from two RCTs (n = 537) showed that heat-inactivated L. paracasei CBA L74 versus placebo reduced the risk of diarrhea (relative risk, RR, 0.51, 95% CI 0.37-0.71), pharyngitis (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12-0.83) and laryngitis (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.29-0.67). There is limited evidence to recommend the use of specific postbiotics for treating pediatric diarrhea and preventing common infectious diseases among children. Further studies are necessary to determine the effects of different postbiotics.


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