Long-Term Efficacy of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM17938 in the Prevention of Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders.

Children who received Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in infancy had substantially lower rates of functional abdominal pain at age 10 compared to those who received placebo.

• FAP was diagnosed in 13/99 (13.1%) children in the probiotic group and 81/101 (80.2%) in the placebo group.
• Absolute risk reduction was 67.1% (95% CI 56.8–77.3).
• Relative risk was 0.16 (95% CI 0.10–0.27), p < 0.001.
• FAP was diagnosed using Rome IV criteria at age 10 by a pediatric gastroenterologist blinded to original allocation.
• 200 participants from the original RCT cohort completed follow-up assessments.

The 10-year follow-up study was built upon an original randomized controlled trial that demonstrated L. reuteri DSM 17938 reduced acute infantile FGID symptoms.

• The original RCT evaluated outcomes including infantile colic and constipation.
• The follow-up was observational in design.
• The study experienced a 57.2% attrition rate over the follow-up period.
• Longitudinal data on potential confounders were unavailable.

The authors concluded that the findings should be interpreted as an association rather than proof of causality due to study limitations.

• The long-term follow-up was observational rather than a continuation of the controlled trial.
• A 57.2% attrition rate was noted as a significant limitation.
• Longitudinal data on potential confounders were unavailable.
• Early exposure to probiotics during critical developmental windows may influence long-term susceptibility to disease.

Pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders, including infantile colic and constipation, may persist into later childhood and adulthood as functional abdominal pain.

• FGIDs were identified as potentially evolving into FAP over time.
• The study examined whether early probiotic intervention could provide lasting protection against this progression.
• The primary outcome was the presence of FAP analyzed according to the original randomization group (probiotic vs. placebo).