The Early Appearance of Asthma and Its Relationship with Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Review

Summary

This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the gut-lung axis mechanism, whereby early-life gut microbiota composition influences infant immune function and asthma risk through direct immune stimulation and metabolite production. The authors examine modifiable factors during pregnancy and the first three months of life—including maternal Mediterranean diet adherence, delivery mode, antibiotic exposure, and feeding type—that alter the intestinal microbiota profile during the posited 'critical window' of the first 100 days. The review emphasises that dysbiosis during this period is a key driver of hypersensitivity diseases including asthma.

Regional applicability

The gut-lung axis mechanism and asthma aetiology are universal, making the biological insights relevant to United Kingdom clinical and public health contexts. However, the review does not address UK-specific epidemiology, healthcare systems, or dietary patterns; applicability to UK practice depends on whether the identified factors (e.g. antibiotic prescribing patterns, breastfeeding rates, delivery modes) and their prevalence differ materially from the global evidence base reviewed.

Key measures

Gut microbiota composition and dysbiosis markers; asthma and asthma-like symptom incidence and prevalence in infants and children

Outcomes reported

The paper reviews evidence on how early-life factors (maternal diet, delivery mode, antibiotics, infant feeding) modify infant gut microbiota composition and dysbiosis risk during the critical first 100 days of life, with implications for asthma development.

Supporting research

The exact-DOI author abstract addresses maternal diet/Mediterranean adherence and infant feeding in depth alongside non-dietary exposures.

Limits: Narrative maternal/infant nutrition synthesis; no isolated asthma-prevention effect or comprehensive study-methods validation is certified.

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