Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2018 Jul;66(7):1346-1352.
doi: 10.1111/jgs.15396. Epub 2018 May 9.

Probiotics to Prevent Respiratory Infections in Nursing Homes: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Biao Wang  1 , Tammy Hylwka  1 , Marek Smieja  1 , Michael Surrette  2 , Dawn M E Bowdish  1 , Mark Loeb  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Probiotics to Prevent Respiratory Infections in Nursing Homes: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Biao Wang et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of conducting a large clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotics to reduce influenza and other respiratory virus infections in residents of long-term and chronic care facilities (LTCFs).

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.

Setting: Fourteen nursing homes in Hamilton and surrounding region, Ontario, Canada.

Participants: Nursing home residents aged 65 and older (N=209). Those who were taking immunosuppressives (steroids or other immunosuppressives) or had a hematological malignancy, structural heart disease, or gastroesophageal or intestinal injury and others at high risk of an endovascular infection were excluded.

Intervention: Participants were randomized to receive study probiotics-2 capsules of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (estimated 10 billion colony forming units of L. rhamnosus GG per capsule) or placebo (calcium carbonate) daily for 6 months.

Measurements: Laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infections.

Results: One hundred ninety-six individuals were included in the analysis: 100 in the probiotics group and 96 in the placebo group. Laboratory-confirmed respiratory viral infections were observed in 14 (15.0%) residents in the probiotic group and 21 (22.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio=0.65, 95% confidence interval=0.32-1.31).

Conclusion: A larger trial is warranted to determine whether probiotics reduce influenza and other respiratory virus infections in residents of LTCFs.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01720329.

Keywords: L. rhamnosus GG; elderly; nursing home; probiotics; respiratory infections.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Crighton E, Elliott S, Moineddin R, Kanaroglou P, Upshur R. An exploratory spatial analysis of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in Ontario by age and gender. Epidemiol Infect 2007;135:253-261.
    1. Falsey AR, Walsh EE. Viral pneumonia in older adults. Clin Infect Dis 2006;42:518-524.
    1. McElhaney JE, Zhou X, Talbot HK, et al. The unmet need in the elderly: How immunosenescence, CMV infection, co-morbidities and frailty are a challenge for the development of more effective influenza vaccines. Vaccine 2012;30:2060-2067.
    1. Falsey AR, Dallal GE, Formica MA, et al. Long-term care facilities: A cornucopia of viral pathogens. J Am Geriatr Soc 2008;56:1281-1285.
    1. Stevenson CG, McArthur MA, Naus M, Abraham E, McGeer AJ. Prevention of influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia in Canadian long-term care facilities: How are we doing? Can Med Assoc J 2001;164:1413-1419.

Publication types

Associated data

LinkOut - more resources