Can Supplementation With Lactobacillus Reuteri and Omega-3 Fatty Acids During Pregnancy and Lactation Reduce the Risk of Allergic Disease in Infancy?

NCT ID: NCT01542970

Last Updated: 2012-03-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

496 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2012-02-29

Study Completion Date

2017-06-30

Brief Summary

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The incidence of allergic disease has increased worldwide during the last decades. Initially, a lot of effort has been put in elucidating which of the known risk factors commonly associated to the development of allergic disease early in life was the cause of this increase. Studies showing a reduced incidence of allergic disease in the former socialist countries in comparison to countries with a "Western lifestyle" have shown that risk factors as allergen exposure, environmental pollution and tobacco exposure are also present in societies with a less affluent lifestyle. This suggests the disappearance of factor protecting against the development of allergic diseases in affluent environment.The development of allergic diseases begins during the first year of life with eczema, both non-IgE- and IgE-associated, and food allergy, progressing during childhood with the development of asthma bronchiale, also both non-IgE- and IgE-associated, and later development of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, i.e. the atopic march. The immune system of the neonate is influenced by maternal immunity, both via the placenta and breast milk. Thus, the immunological interaction between the mother and her offspring is close during pregnancy and lactation. The association of cord blood IgE levels with maternal but not paternal atopic heredity, may depend on a possibly stronger placental Th2 shift in atopic mothers. Thus, factors influencing/protecting against the development of allergic disease early in life, would be important already during pregnancy, birth and early postnatal life. Two major hypotheses have been assessed during the last decade: Proper microbial stimulation, including the establishment of the gut flora in infancy and the relationship between low omega 3-polyunsaturated fatty acids in the western diet and the incidence of allergic disease.

This is a double blind randomized study. Families with at least one parent/sibling with clinical symptoms/history of allergic disease will be invited to participate in this study. Pregnant mothers will be included in the study at the 20th week of gestation. They will be randomized to 4 study groups, one will receive placebo capsules, the second will receive omega-3 PUFA supplementation and placebo regarding L. reuteri, the third will receive L. reuteri and placebo regarding omega-3 PUFA and the fourth group will receive both omega-3 PUFA and L. reuteri supplementation. Omega-3 supplementation will be given to mothers from pregnancy and lactation while L. reuteri will be given to the mothers during pregnancy and later to the children during the first year of life.The children will be clinically followed by an allergy nurse regularly. Questionnaires regarding data on environment, siblings, pets, breast feeding, smoking exposure, upper respiratory and other infections and clinical symptoms of allergic disease will be filled regularly. Skin prick tests (SPTs) will be performed in the children at 6 and 12 months with milk, egg, wheat, peanut and cat. At 24 months, timothy and birch allergen extracts will be added. A pediatrician will assess the children at 24 months of life and whenever it is needed during the study period. Dietary habits will be assessed during pregnancy (25th gestational week) and 6 months after child birth. Blood samples in the children will be taken from cord blood and at 6, 12 and 24 months of life. Maternal blood samples will be taken at 20th weeks of gestation and at child birth. Milk samples will be collected 1-4 days after partus and monthly during the first 4 months of lactation. Maternal gastrointestinal function will be addressed by validated diary cards. Saliva from the children and fecal samples from mother and child will also be collected according to the following protocol.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Allergy Gastrointestinal Function

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Placebo

Placebo for both L. reuteri and omega-3 fatty acids.

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Olive oil

Refined coconut and peanut oil without L. reuteri

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

2x20 drops daily to the mother from gw 20 and from birth to the child during the first year of life

L. reuteri and placebo

Active Lactobacillus reuteri and placebo for omega-3 fatty acids

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Placebo

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Olive oil

L. reuteri

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

The L. reuteri supplementation comprises of L. reuteri suspension 109 colony forming units (CFU) in oil (refined coconut and peanut oil) (20 droplets x 2 daily) to the mothers during pregnancy and 108 CFU (5 droplets x 1) to the children during the first years of life

Omega-3 fatty acids and placebo

Placebo for L. reuteri and active for omega-3 fatty acids

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Omega-3 fatty acids

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Omega-3 PUFA treatment comprises of maternal supplementation of 3 capsules of Pikasol® (1g capsules containing 640 mg ω-3 PUFA) 2 times daily during pregnancy and lactation.

Refined coconut and peanut oil without L. reuteri

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

2x20 drops daily to the mother from gw 20 and from birth to the child during the first year of life

L. reuteri and omega-3 fatty acids

Active L. reuteri and active omega-3 fatty acids

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

L. reuteri

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

The L. reuteri supplementation comprises of L. reuteri suspension 109 colony forming units (CFU) in oil (refined coconut and peanut oil) (20 droplets x 2 daily) to the mothers during pregnancy and 108 CFU (5 droplets x 1) to the children during the first years of life

Interventions

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Placebo

Olive oil

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 PUFA treatment comprises of maternal supplementation of 3 capsules of Pikasol® (1g capsules containing 640 mg ω-3 PUFA) 2 times daily during pregnancy and lactation.

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Refined coconut and peanut oil without L. reuteri

2x20 drops daily to the mother from gw 20 and from birth to the child during the first year of life

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

L. reuteri

The L. reuteri supplementation comprises of L. reuteri suspension 109 colony forming units (CFU) in oil (refined coconut and peanut oil) (20 droplets x 2 daily) to the mothers during pregnancy and 108 CFU (5 droplets x 1) to the children during the first years of life

Intervention Type DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* pregnant women expecting a child with at least one parent or a sibling with clinical symptoms/history of allergic disease
* breastfeeding for at least 3 months is mandatory for inclusion in the statistical assessment in the study

Exclusion Criteria

* mothers with fish allergy
* twin pregnancy
* mothers previously/currently using omega-3 PUFA or probiotic dietary supplementation
* children born before gestational week 33 or seriously ill will be excluded from the study.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

45 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Ostergotland County Council, Sweden

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Karel Duchén, MD

MD

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Karel M Duchén, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Ostergotland County Council, Sweden

Maria C Jenmalm, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Linkoeping University

Locations

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Allergicentrum, Universitetssjukhuset

Linköping, , Sweden

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Sweden

Central Contacts

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Karel M Duchén, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+46-10-103 1355

References

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Al-Kaabawi A, Landberg E, Marti M, Severin E, Tingo L, Duchen K, Jenmalm MC. Effects of maternal allergy and supplementation with omega-3 fatty acid and probiotic on human milk oligosaccharides. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2025 Aug;36(8):e70162. doi: 10.1111/pai.70162.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40747696 (View on PubMed)

Ahlberg E, Marti M, Govindaraj D, Severin E, Duchen K, Jenmalm MC, Tingo L. Immune-related microRNAs in breast milk and their relation to regulatory T cells in breastfed children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2023 Apr;34(4):e13952. doi: 10.1111/pai.13952.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37102392 (View on PubMed)

Huoman J, Martinez-Enguita D, Olsson E, Ernerudh J, Nilsson L, Duchen K, Gustafsson M, Jenmalm MC. Combined prenatal Lactobacillus reuteri and omega-3 supplementation synergistically modulates DNA methylation in neonatal T helper cells. Clin Epigenetics. 2021 Jun 30;13(1):135. doi: 10.1186/s13148-021-01115-4.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 34193262 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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FaLr-013

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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