Chen Xiaodan, Yong Su-Boon, Yii Chin-Yuan, Feng Bihong, Hsieh Kai-Sheng, Li Qingcao
Ningbo Medical Center LiHuiLi Hospital, The Affiliated LiHuiLIi Hospitai of Ningbo University, Zhejiang, China.
Department of Allergy and Immunology, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Heliyon. 2024 Jul 20;10(15):e34916. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34916. eCollection 2024 Aug 15.
This study aims to understand the differences in intestinal flora, expression of helper T cells, allergy-related indicators, and cytokine levels between children with bronchial asthma and healthy children. The study seeks to clarify the effectiveness and safety of probiotic preparations in the treatment of bronchial asthma in children, and to provide new methods for the treatment of bronchial asthma.
A total of 66 pediatric patients aged 3-6 years with bronchial asthma and 35 healthy children undergoing physical examination during the same period were enrolled, designated as the asthma group and the healthy group, respectively. The asthma group was further divided into the probiotic group and the non-probiotic group based on whether probiotics were used. The gut microbiota, serum IgE antibody levels, cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-13 levels), proportions of helper T cells (Th1, Th2), and hypersensitive C-reactive protein were measured and compared among the groups.
Children with bronchial asthma had decreased abundance and reduced diversity of intestinal flora compared to the healthy group. At the genus level, the asthma group showed increased abundance of Bacteroides and decreased abundance of Faecalibacterium and Veillonella; The probiotic group demonstrated a significantly higher improvement in the abundance of these genera before and after treatment compared to the non-probiotic group (P < 0.05). Compared to the healthy group, children with asthma had elevated levels of serum IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13, as well as a decreased Th1/Th2 ratio, all of which showed statistical differences (P < 0.05). After treatment, all immune indicators improved. Specifically, the probiotic group exhibited a more significant decrease in serum IgE, IL-4, and IL-13 levels compared to the non-probiotic group (P < 0.05).
Children with bronchial asthma exhibit dysbiosis of intestinal flora, characterized by an increased abundance of the Bacteroides and decreased abundance of the Faecalibacterium and Veillonella. This imbalance in intestinal flora increases the risk of allergic diseases. Probiotics can effectively improve dysbiosis of intestinal flora, contributing to the balance of immune function in children, and can be used as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of bronchial asthma.
本研究旨在了解支气管哮喘患儿与健康儿童在肠道菌群、辅助性T细胞表达、过敏相关指标及细胞因子水平方面的差异。本研究旨在阐明益生菌制剂治疗儿童支气管哮喘的有效性和安全性，并为支气管哮喘的治疗提供新方法。
共纳入66例3 - 6岁支气管哮喘患儿和同期35例接受体检的健康儿童，分别设为哮喘组和健康组。哮喘组根据是否使用益生菌进一步分为益生菌组和非益生菌组。测量并比较各组的肠道微生物群、血清IgE抗体水平、细胞因子（IL - 4、IL - 5、IL - 9、IL - 13水平）、辅助性T细胞（Th1、Th2）比例及超敏C反应蛋白。
与健康组相比，支气管哮喘患儿肠道菌群丰度降低、多样性减少。在属水平上，哮喘组拟杆菌属丰度增加，粪杆菌属和韦荣球菌属丰度降低；与非益生菌组相比，益生菌组治疗前后这些属的丰度改善更为显著（P < 0.05）。与健康组相比，哮喘患儿血清IgE、IL - 4、IL - 5、IL - 9和IL - 13水平升高，Th1/Th2比值降低，差异均有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。治疗后，各项免疫指标均有所改善。具体而言，与非益生菌组相比，益生菌组血清IgE、IL - 4和IL - 13水平下降更为显著（P < 0.05）。
支气管哮喘患儿存在肠道菌群失调，表现为拟杆菌属丰度增加，粪杆菌属和韦荣球菌属丰度降低。这种肠道菌群失衡增加了过敏性疾病的风险。益生菌可有效改善肠道菌群失调，有助于儿童免疫功能平衡，可作为支气管哮喘治疗的辅助疗法。
