Probiotika in der prävention und therapie von atopien

Numerous clinical trials have investigated the efficacy of probiotics for preventing and treating atopic diseases. However, the use of different probiotic strains, differences in study designs, clinical endpoints and populations recruited in these trials hamper direct comparison of the results. Thus, general statements about probiotics are not valid and should be replaced by species-specific evaluations. Moreover, in-vitro findings and results obtained from animal models cannot simply be transferred to the level of clinical trials. A recent double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial showed Lactobacillus GG as having a preventive effect on atopic disease in a high-risk population. The frequency of atopic dermatitis at the age of 2 was reduced by half in infants given probiotics vs. placebo. However, these results were not reproducible in subsequent clinical trials. Therefore, based on currently available data, probiotics cannot be recommended either for therapeutic use or for primary prevention of allergic diseases. Further trials are needed to clarify whether a combination of different probiotic strains or the combined use of prebiotics and probiotics is more promising in terms of preventing or treating atopic diseases.