Research paper
The Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics for Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Study answer
What this study found
Probiotic supplementation significantly improved allergic rhinitis symptoms (SMD −0.29; 95% CI −0.44 to −0.13; p=0.0003) and reduced Rhinoconjunctivitis QoL scores (SMD −0.64; 95% CI −0.79 to −0.49; p<0.00001). It favored a healthier Th1/Th2 balance (MD −2.47; 95% CI −3.27 to −1.68; p<0.00001). No significant changes in total IgE (SMD −0.03; 95% CI −0.18 to 0.13) or antigen-specific IgE (SMD 0.09; 95% CI −0.16 to 0.34; p=0.49). Subgroup analyses suggest stronger symptom relief in seasonal AR and potential greater benefit with probiotics used alone (monotherapy). However, high heterogeneity…
- Study & population
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Intervention
- Regimens varied across trials; oral probiotic regimens were delivered as capsules, yogurt, fermented milk, probiotic drinks, or powders.
- Key limitation
- High heterogeneity across trials (e.g., I2 up to 97%), varied probiotic strains/doses/durations, and some unclear risk of bias; small sample sizes in several trials; pollen exposure and regional differences may confound results; mixed reporting of adverse events; overall GRADE ratings for key outcomes were very low…
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Background Probiotics have proven beneficial in a number of immune-mediated and allergic diseases. Several human studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of probiotics in allergic rhinitis; however, evidence for their use has yet to be firmly e…