Nonspecific immunomodulators for recurrent respiratory tract infections, wheezing and asthma in children: a systematic review of mechanistic and clinical evidence

Abstract

Purpose of review: To provide an overview of the mechanistic and clinical evidence for the use of nonspecific immunomodulators in paediatric respiratory tract infection (RTI) and wheezing/asthma prophylaxis.

Recent findings: Nonspecific immunomodulators have a long history of empirical use for the prevention of RTIs in vulnerable populations, such as children. The past decade has seen an increase in both the number and quality of studies providing mechanistic and clinical evidence for the prophylactic potential of nonspecific immunomodulators against both respiratory infections and wheezing/asthma in the paediatric population. Orally administered immunomodulators result in the mounting of innate and adaptive immune responses to infection in the respiratory mucosa and anti-inflammatory effects in proinflammatory environments. Clinical data reflect these mechanistic effects in reductions in the recurrence of respiratory infections and wheezing events in high-risk paediatric populations. A new generation of clinical studies is currently underway with the power to position the nonspecific bacterial lysate immunomodulator OM-85 as a potential antiasthma prophylactic.

Summary: An established mechanistic and clinical role for prophylaxis against paediatric respiratory infections by nonspecific immunomodulators exists. Clinical trials underway promise to provide high-quality data to establish whether a similar role exists in wheezing/asthma prevention.

Box 1

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FIGURE 1

The gut–lung immune axis illustrating points of immunomodulator activity in RTI prophylaxis. B, B cell; GALT, gut-associated immune tissue; Mc, macrophage; Mo, monocyte; NK, natural killer cell; PAMPS, pathogen-associated molecular patterns; PC plasma cell; PMN, polymorphonuclear neutrophil; PPs, Peyer's patches; T, T cell. Based on [10].