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Microbiome-targeted interventions linked to fewer asthma attacks in children

Pediatric asthma Pediatric asthma
Pediatric asthma Pediatric asthma

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Microbiota-targeted therapies, including probiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics, show potential in reducing asthma symptoms and improving respiratory outcomes in children.

Children with asthma may benefit from microbiota-targeted therapies, according to the findings of a systematic review published in "Frontiers in Nutrition".

With pediatric asthma on the rise globally, the ailment continues to impose a heavy burden on healthcare systems and families. Increasing attention has turned to the gut-lung axis—the complex interaction between gut microbiota and lung immunity—as a novel pathway influencing respiratory health. Disruptions in gut microbial balance (dysbiosis) have been linked to immune dysregulation and heightened airway responsiveness, especially in children.

To assess the role of gut microbiota-targeted therapies, researchers conducted a comprehensive literature search across 4 major databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, or postbiotics in individuals under 18 years of age with asthma were recruited. A total of 18 studies, including 13 RCTs, were analyzed, covering 2,419 pediatric participants. The findings support the potential benefits of certain microbiota-directed interventions:

  • Probiotics: In total, 10 studies investigated probiotics, with 5 focusing on Lactobacillus strains and 5 on Bifidobacterium. These were associated with significant decrease in asthma exacerbations and improvements in pulmonary function. The effects appeared to be strain-specific, linked to suppression of Th2 cytokines and modulation of the gut-lung axis.
  • Postbiotics: Bacterial lysates such as OM-85 BV and polyvalent mechanical bacterial lysate (PMBL®) were found to attenuate airway hyperresponsiveness and mitigate systemic inflammation, suggesting a promising immunomodulatory role in asthma control.
  • Synbiotics: The combination of probiotics with prebiotics illustrated a reduction in viral respiratory tract infections and lowered healthcare utilization, suggesting potential preventive benefits in pediatric asthma care.
  • Prebiotics: The review found a notable lack of direct RCTs examining prebiotics alone, pointing to a gap in current research on their isolated impact in asthma-affected kids.

This study by Die Fan et al. underscores the promising role of microbiota-targeted therapies—particularly probiotics, postbiotics, and synbiotics—in pediatric asthma care. However, the findings also highlight key research gaps. There is a need for standardized intervention protocols, strain-specific RCTs, and especially focused studies on prebiotics. The authors advocate for future research to incorporate multi-omics approaches to better comprehend the underlying mechanisms and guide the development of personalized gut-lung axis-based therapies for asthma in children.

 

Source:

Frontiers in Nutrition

Article:

Effects of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and postbiotics on pediatric asthma: a systematic review

Authors:

Die Fan et al.

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