ArticlePloS one2016
The Clinical and Economic Impact of Probiotics Consumption on Respiratory Tract Infections: Projections for Canada.
Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Fewer Community-Acquired Colds with Daily Consumption of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HEAL9 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei 8700:2. A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.The Journal of nutrition · 2021Trial
- Evaluation of the efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL9 and Lactobacillus paracasei 8700:2 on aspects of common cold infections in children attending day care: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.European journal of nutrition · 2020Trial
- Comparative effectiveness of oral nutritional supplements in preventing respiratory tract infections among adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Is There Evidence to Support Probiotic Use for Healthy People?Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2024Review
- Comparing technology and regulatory landscape of probiotics as food, dietary supplements and live biotherapeutics.Frontiers in microbiology · 2023Review
- Oropharyngeal Probiotic ENT-K12 as an Effective Dietary Intervention for Children With Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections During Cold Season.Frontiers in nutrition · 2022Article
- Mechanisms linking the human gut microbiome to prophylactic and treatment strategies for COVID-19.The British journal of nutrition · 2021Review
- Potential contribution of beneficial microbes to face the COVID-19 pandemic.Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.) · 2020Article
- Using Probiotics to Flatten the Curve of Coronavirus Disease COVID-2019 Pandemic.Frontiers in public health · 2020Article
- A paediatric influenza update 100 years after the Skyros island Spanish flu outbreak.Experimental and therapeutic medicine · 2019Article
- Probiotics Reduce Health Care Cost and Societal Impact of Flu-Like Respiratory Tract Infections in the USA: An Economic Modeling Study.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2019Article
- The Contribution of Complementary and Alternative Medicine to Reduce Antibiotic Use: A Narrative Review of Health Concepts, Prevention, and Treatment Strategies.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2019Review
- Challenges of a one-health approach to the development of alternatives to antibiotics.Animal frontiers : the review magazine of animal agriculture · 2018Article
- Interspecies comparison of probiotics isolated from different animals.Veterinary world · 2018Article
- Inactivated probioticJournal of inflammation research · 2017Article
- The prospects of employing probiotics in combating COVID-19.Tzu chi medical journalReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThere is accumulating evidence supporting the use of probiotics, which are defined as "live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host", as a preventive measure against respiratory tract infections (RTI). Two recent meta-analyses showed probiotic consumption (daily intake of 107 to 1010 CFU in any form for up to 3 months) significantly reduced RTI duration, frequency, antibiotic use and work absenteeism.
objectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the impact of probiotic use in terms of number of RTI episodes and days averted, and the number of antibiotic prescriptions and missed workdays averted, in the general population of Canada. In addition, the corresponding economic impact from both a healthcare payer and a productivity perspective was estimated.
methodsA microsimulation model was developed to reproduce the Canadian population (sample rate of 1/1000 = 35 540 individuals) employing age and gender. RTI incidence was taken from FluWatch consultation rates for influenza-like illness (2013-14) and StatCan all-cause consultations statistics. The model was calibrated on a 2.1% RTI annual incidence in the general population (5.2 million RTI days) and included known risk factors (smoking status, shared living conditions and vaccination status). RTI-related antibiotic prescriptions and work absenteeism were obtained from the literature.
resultsThe results indicate that probiotic use saved 573 000-2.3 million RTI-days, according to the YHEC-Cochrane scenarios respectively. These reductions were associated with an avoidance of 52 000-84 000 antibiotic courses and 330 000-500 000 sick-leave days. A projection of corresponding costs reductions amounted to Can$1.3-8.9 million from the healthcare payer perspective and Can$61.2-99.7 million when adding productivity losses.
conclusionThe analysis shows that the potential of probiotics to reduce RTI-related events may have a substantial clinical and economic impact in Canada.
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