NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Perinatal supplementation with probiotics can help prevent IgE-associated allergy until 5 years of age in high-risk children delivered by cesarean section, Finnish researchers report.

In children delivered vaginally, by contrast, this beneficial effect is not seen, according to the report in the February issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

In the current study, Dr. Mikael Kuitunen, from Helsinki University Central Hospital, and co-researchers assessed the allergy outcomes of 1223 infants who, along with their mothers, were randomized to receive a probiotic mix or placebo. All of the infants were considered to be at high risk for allergy due to having at least one parent with asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic eczema.

For mothers, the assigned treatment was given during the last month of pregnancy and for infants, it was given from birth until 6 months of age. The probiotic mixture contained two strains of lactobacilli and one strain each of bifidobacteria and propionibacteria.

In the overall analysis, no difference in allergy rates was noted between children in the probiotic and placebo groups at 5 years. The corresponding rates of IgE-associated allergic disease were 29.5% and 26.6%. Allergic sensitization was noted in 41.3% of subjects in each group.

The groups also had comparable rates of eczema, atopic eczema, allergic rhinitis, and asthma, the authors note.

However, in subjects delivered via c-section, probiotic use did seem to offer a benefit. In this group, the rate of IgE-associated allergic disease was 24.3% in probiotic users compared with 40.5% in non-users (p = 0.035).

The authors speculate that use of a stronger probiotic mix for a longer period of time may help prevent allergies in all children, not just those delivered by cesarean section.

Reference:
J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;123:335-341.