N/A
N=983
Probiotics and Infections in Conscripts in Military Service
Respiratory Tract Infections · Gastrointestinal Diseases · Asthma Exacerbations
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01651195 ↗Enrolled (actual)
983
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Jun 2021
Primary outcome: Primary: Number of Sick Days — p=< 0.05
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Probiotic (Dietary_supplement); Placebo (Other)
- Age
- Adult · 18+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- Helsinki University Central Hospital
- Primary completion
- Jun 2016
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Number of Sick Days |
— | < 0.05 sig |
| SECONDARY Number and Duration of Infection Episodes |
33; 35; 30; 29 | < 0.05 sig |
| SECONDARY Number of Antibiotic Treatments Received |
15; 23; 2; 1 | < 0.05 sig |
| SECONDARY Number of Days Out of Service Due to an Infection |
44; 41; 4; 6 | < 0.05 sig |
Summary
The aim was to study whether probiotic intervention has an impact on seasonal occurrence of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in two different conscript groups. In a randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled study a total of 983 healthy adults were enrolled from two intakes of conscripts. Conscripts were randomised to receive either a probiotic combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB12 (BB12) or a control chewing tablet twice daily for 150 days (recruits) or for 90 days (reserve officer candidates). Clinical examinations were carried out and daily symptom diaries were collected. Outcome measures were the number of days with respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms and symptom incidence, number and duration of infection episodes, number of antibiotic treatments received and number of days out of service because of the infection. Statistically no significant differences were found between the intervention groups either in the risk of symptom incidence or duration. However, probiotic intervention was associated with reduction of specific respiratory infection symptoms in military recruits, but not in reserve officer candidates. Probiotics did not significantly reduce overall respiratory and gastrointestinal infection morbidity.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Healthy adults attending military service in July 2012 and healthy adults attending reserve office school in October 2012
Exclusion Criteria
- Regular use of oral corticosteroids
- Regular consumption (over 3 times a week) of probiotic bacteria containing products 3 weeks before intervention
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01651195). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.