Objective: To systematically review the efficacy of probiotics in prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma in children. Methods: The Cochrane Library

PubMed

EMBase

CNKI

Wanfang database and China Biology Medicine (CBM) were retrieved to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCT) of probiotics in prevention and treatment of bronchial asthma in children. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria

literature were screened

the data were extracted and the methodological quality of the included literature was evaluated. Meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 10 RCT were collected

including 828 children

with 412 cases in the experimental group and 416 cases in the control group. Children in the experimental group were given Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Lactobacillus gasseri

Lactobacillus casei

Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus delte. And the control group received placebo. Meta-analysis results showed that there was statistically significant difference in improvement of asthma symptoms between the experimental group and the control group (60.00% (51/85) vs 25.88% (22/85)

MD=4.28

95%CI: from 2.23 to 8.21

P<0.01). In terms of serum cytokines

there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group in decreasing IgE (MD=-18.44

95%CI: from -20.03 to -16.85

P<0.01)

increasing IFN-γ (MD=2.50

95%CI: from 1.23 to 3.76

P=0.01) and decreasing IL-4 (MD=-2.25

95%CI: from -3.12 to -1.39

P<0.01). Conclusion: Probiotics can improve asthma symptoms and related serum cytokines in children with bronchial asthma.