Probiotic Supplementation and Its Impact on Atopic Dermatitis and Related Conditions in Infants and Children: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews with Meta-Analyses.

Growing evidence has suggested that probiotic consumption can decrease the incidence of Atopic dermatitis (AD) in infants and children. However, even meta-analyses have reported uncertain findings. The current umbrella meta-analysis aimed to assess the findings of multiple meta-analyses on the efficacy of probiotic supplementation on AD and other atopic manifestations in infants and children. A systematic search of the Literature was carried out in PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Cochrane Central Library, EMBASE, and Google Scholar from inception up to September 2024. Random-effects model was utilized when there was a significant between-study heterogeneity; otherwise, fixed-effects model was employed. The quality of the selected meta-analyses was assessed using a measurement tool to assess multiple systematic reviews 2 (AMSTAR2). Of the 1302 articles identified in the search, 22 articles that met the criteria were included in the present comprehensive umbrella meta-analysis. Findings indicated a notable decrease in AD severity based on WMD (ES = -4.16; 95%CI: -6.75, -1.57, p < 0.000) and Eczema (ES = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.69,0.81, p < 0.000) among infants. Subgroup analysis showed that factors such as type of probiotic, sample size, duration, and population were not significant sources of heterogeneity. Our research suggests that probiotics could play a beneficial role in managing AD and eczema. However, we found no statistically significant link between probiotic use and IgE levels, wheezing, allergies, or asthma.