Background/Objectives: To determine if consumption of yogurt containing a high dose of probiotic (1 Â 10 10 colony-forming unit per 100 ml), Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis), decreases absences in children 2-4 years attending daycare/ school centers. Subjects/Methods: We conducted a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, allocation concealment clinical trial in the Washington, DC area. Our active intervention was a strawberry yogurt-based drink supplemented with B. lactis BB-12. The placebo was indistinguishable from the active drink, differing only in absence of the probiotic BB-12.Results: A total of 172 children between the ages of 2 and 4 from the Washington, DC area were enrolled. The primary outcome, missed days of school because of illness per 100 days, was similar in both the active (2.54 days absent/100 school days) and control groups (2.42 days absent/100 school days) (P ¼ 0.873). Conclusions: The probiotic-containing yogurt-based beverage studied did not decrease absences because of illnesses in daycare/school for healthy children ages 2-4 years.

No abstract

Objective: A randomized, double-blind controlled study compared breastfeeding, partially-and extensively-hydrolyzed protein formulas (pHF and eHF) in their effect on cow' milk allergy (CMA) and atopic symptoms in infants at risk of allergy.Methods: Healthy, full-term infants were randomized to receive a whey pHF or a whey eHF, either exclusively from birth to 4 months of age or at weaning when mothers were willing to breastfeed child. The population consisted of 141 (ITT) and 104 (PP) children in the pHF group and 138 (ITT) and 90 (PP) in the eHF group, of whom respectively 40 (ITT) and 32 (PP) and 38 (ITT) and 31 (PP) were partially breastfed. At 4 months, a milk oral food challenge was performed and at 4 and 12 months, skin prick tests with various food antigens and plasma immunoglobulin concentrations were measured. Standard growth parameters were followed. Results:The incidences of CMA and of reactions to other food antigens were similarly low in all groups. Total IgE plasma concentrations increased between 4 and 12 months in all groups but increased significantly (p=0.048) less with pHF (16.92±47.11 kU/L) than with eHF (23.68±41.29 kU/L). There was an unexpectedly higher hemoglobin level in infants fed a pHF or an eHF compared to breastfeeding. Infants in all groups grew normally according to WHO standards. Conclusion:The whey pHF and the eHF reduced the risk of CMA and of atopic symptoms similarly. The pHF was superior in reducing IgE levels during the first year of life.