Efficacy and Safety of Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1040 in Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Lingzhi Li; Zhifeng Fang; Yuan-Kun Lee; Jianxin Zhao; Hao Zhang; Huaiming Peng; Yulong Zhang; Wenwei Lu; Wei Chen

doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.862934

Efficacy and Safety of Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1040 in Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Front Nutr. 2022 Apr 7:9:862934. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.862934. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Lingzhi Li^{1

2}, Zhifeng Fang^{1

2}, Yuan-Kun Lee³, Jianxin Zhao^{1

2

4}, Hao Zhang^{1

2

4}, Huaiming Peng⁵, Yulong Zhang⁵, Wenwei Lu^{1

2

4}, Wei Chen^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
² School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
³ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Queenstown, Singapore.
⁴ National Engineering Research Center for Functional Food, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.
⁵ Yancheng Sixth People's Hospital, Yancheng, China.

Abstract

The coexistence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma reinforces the concept of "one airway, one disease," which has prompted the exploration for a single intervention to treat both diseases. Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1040 (CCFM1040) was found to be an inhibitor of the common pathogenesis of AR and asthma in our previous studies. This study presented a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the clinical effects of CCFM1040 on both diseases. The total symptom score (TSS), the quality of life (QoL), and the modulation in the gut microbiota of patients with AR, the Asthma Control and Test (ACT) of patients with asthma, and the safety of both AR and asthma were measured. In patients with AR, CCFM1040 numerically decreased TSS, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ), 3 nasal scores in TSS (nasal congestion, watery eyes, and rhinorrhea), and sleep and significantly improved (P = 0.014) non-nose/eye symptoms. The ACT score was numerically increased in patients with asthma (from partially controlled to well-controlled). Significant microbial (from class level to genus level) and metabolic differences (P < 0.05) were found in patients with AR. No adverse reactions were observed. No effect on the blood and urine routine indexes. CCFM1040 has a potential benefit on both diseases. Further studies based on these findings will help to optimize the management of AR and asthma.

Keywords: Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1040; allergic rhinitis; asthma; clinical symptoms; gut microbiota; safety.