Does probiotic consumption reduce antibiotic utilization for common acute infections? A systematic review and meta-analysis

To assess whether probiotic consumption reduces antibiotic use for common acute infections, the authors of this paper screened 1533 citations and found 17 randomized, controlled trials that met the predefined inclusion criteria. All of the trials were conducted in infants and/or children, and the rigor of the trials varied. Meta-analysis demonstrated that infants and children who received probiotics for prevention of acute illness were less likely to be prescribed antibiotics compared with those who received a placebo. The authors concluded that probiotics administered with the aim of reducing the risk for common acute infections may lead to reduced antibiotic use in infants and children.

REFERENCE:

King S, Tancredi D, Lenoir-Wijnkoop I, Gould K, Vann H, Connors G, Sanders ME, Linder JA, Shane AL, Merenstein D. Does probiotic consumption reduce antibiotic utilization for common acute infections? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Public Health. 2019;29(3):494-499. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/cky185.