Effect of long term consumption of probiotic milk on infections in children attending day care centres: double blind, randomised trial. Issue 7298 (2nd June 2001)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hatakka, Katja; Savilahti, Erkki; Pönkä, Antti; Meurman, Jukka H; Poussa, Tuija; Näse, Leena; Saxelin, Maija; Korpela, Riitta
• Is Part Of: BMJ. Volume 322:Issue 7298(2001)
• Page Start: 1327
• Publication Date: 2001-06-02
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine; Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.322.7298.1327
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1447

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To examine whether long term consumption of a probiotic milk could reduce gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in children in day care centres. Design: Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled study over seven months. Setting: 18 day care centres in Helsinki, Finland. Participants: 571 healthy children aged 1-6 years: 282 (mean (SD) age 4.6 (1.5) years) in the intervention group and 289 (mean (SD) age 4.4 (1.5) years) in the control group. Intervention: Milk with or without Lactobacillus GG. Average daily consumption of milk in both groups was 260 ml. Main outcome measures: Number of days with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, absences from day care because of illness, respiratory tract infections diagnosed by a doctor, and course of antibiotics. Results: Children in the Lactobacillus group had fewer days of absence from day care because of illness (4.9 (95% confidence interval 4.4 to 5.5) v 5.8 (5.3 to 6.4) days, 16% difference, P=0.03; age adjusted 5.1 (4.6 to 5.6) v 5.7 (5.2 to 6.3) days, 11% difference, P=0.09). There was also a relative reduction of 17% in the number of children suffering from respiratory infections with complications and lower respiratory tract infections (unadjusted absolute % reduction −8.6 (−17.2 to −0.1), P=0.05; age adjusted odds ratio 0.75 (0.52 to 1.09), P=0.13) and a 19% relative reduction in antibiotic treatments for respiratory infection (unadjusted absolute % reduction −9.6 (−18.2 to −1.0), P=0.03; adjusted odds ratio 0.72 (0.50 to 1.03), P=0.08) in the Lactobacillus group. Conclusions: Lactobacillus GG may reduce respiratory infections and their severity among children in day care. The effects of the probiotic Lactobacillus GG were modest but consistently in the same direction.