Effect of synbiotic supplementation in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018 May;72(5):736-743. doi: 10.1038/s41430-017-0043-4. Epub 2017 Dec 26.

Abstract

Background/objectives: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by excessive activation of immune processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of synbiotic supplementation on the inflammatory response in children/adolescents with CF.

Subjects/methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical-trial was conducted with control group (CG, n = 17), placebo-CF-group (PCFG, n = 19), synbiotic CF-group (SCFG, n = 22), PCFG negative (n = 8) and positive (n = 11) bacteriology, and SCFG negative (n = 12) and positive (n = 10) bacteriology. Markers of lung function (FEV1), nutritional status [body mass index-for age (BMI/A), height-for-age (H/A), weight-for-age (W/A), upper-arm fat area (UFA), upper-arm muscle area (UMA), body fat (%BF)], and inflammation [interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8, myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx)] were evaluated before and after 90-day of supplementation with a synbiotic.

Results: No significance difference was found between the baseline and end evaluations of FEV1 and nutricional status markers. A significant interaction (time vs. group) was found for IL-12 (p = 0.010) and myeloperoxidase (p = 0.036) between PCFG and SCFG, however, the difference was not maintained after assessing the groups individually. NOx diminished significantly after supplementation in the SCFG (p = 0.030). In the SCFG with positive bacteriology, reductions were found in IL-6 (p = 0.033) and IL-8 (p = 0.009) after supplementation.

Conclusions: Synbiotic supplementation shown promise at diminishing the pro-inflammatory markers IL-6, IL-8 in the SCFG with positive bacteriology and NOx in the SCFG in children/adolescents with CF.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bifidobacterium animalis
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Body Mass Index
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cystic Fibrosis / blood
  • Cystic Fibrosis / therapy*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Lacticaseibacillus paracasei
  • Lactobacillus acidophilus
  • Male
  • Nutrition Assessment
  • Nutritional Status
  • Synbiotics / administration & dosage*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • IL6 protein, human
  • Interleukin-6
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha