Table V.

Previously published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled prebiotic interventions, probiotic interventions, or both conducted in infants aged less than 1 year with incidence of RTIs as outcome

First author, publication year, country	Age group/duration of intervention	Duration of follow-up	No. of infants included	Type of intervention	Outcomes	Result regarding the incidence of RTIs (as reported in original articles)
Weizman et al,10 2005, Israel	4-10 mo/12 wk	12 wk	201; 73 + 8 + 60	Formula supplemented with Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, Lactobacillus reuteri, or placebo	No. of days or episodes with fever, diarrhea, or respiratory illness	No difference in rate or duration of RTIs
Arslanoglu et al,11, 12 2007 and 2008, Italy	<2 wk, 6 mo	2 y	259; 129 + 130	Formula supplemented with galacto-oligosaccharide and fructo-oligosaccharide or placebo	Incidence of allergic manifestations, number of infectious episodes	Significantly fewer of all types of infections (P = .01), upper RTIs (P < .01), fever episodes (P < .0001), and fewer antibiotic prescriptions (P < .05)
Kukkonen et al,13 2008, Finland	(4 wk before delivery), 6 mo	2 y	1018; 506 + 512	Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, LC705, Bifidobacterium breve Bb99, and Propionibacterium shermanii + postpartum galacto-oligosaccharide or placebo (capsules)	Incidence of allergic manifestations, safety, number of RTIs and intestinal infections	Significantly fewer RTIs (ratio, 0.87; P = .009)
Rautava et al,14 2009, Finland	<2 mo to age of 12 mo	12 mo	81; 38 + 43	Formula supplemented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG + Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 or placebo	Incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal recurrent (≥3) infections before the age of 7 mo	Significantly fewer acute otitis media (RR, 0.44; P = .014) need for antibiotics (RR, 0.52; P = .015) and recurrent RTIs (RR, 0.51; P = .022); no difference in rate of RTIs per se
Taipale et al,15 2011, Finland	1 mo to age of 8 mo	8 mo	109; 55 + 54	Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 or placebo tablets in pacifier	Incidence of RTI and gastrointestinal infections	Significantly fewer RTIs (RR, 0.69; P = .014)
Maldonado et al,16 2012, Spain	6 mo to age of 12 mo	6 mo	215; 117 + 98	Formula supplemented with Lactobacillus fermentum or placebo	Incidence of all kinds of infections	Significantly fewer respiratory (IR, 0.729; P = .026) and total number of infections (IR, 0.70; P = .003)
Gil-Campos et al,17 2012, Spain	1 mo to age of 6 mo	5 mo	137; 71 + 66	Formula supplemented with Lactobacillus fermentum or placebo	Weight gain, other anthropometric data, and incidence of all kinds of infections	No difference in incidence of RTIs

IR, Incidence ratio; RR, risk ratio.