Evidence map›Paper›PMID 16908512›Full record

ArticleGut2007

Comparative study of the intestinal mucus barrier in normal and inflamed colon.

Alexander Swidsinski, Vera Loening-Baucke, Franz Theissig, Holger Engelhardt, Stig Bengmark, Stefan Koch, Herbert Lochs, Yvonne Dörffel

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gut, 2007. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 168 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
168citing papers in PubMed
7.2field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

168 citing papers in PubMed, 358 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. Metabolites · 2026
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108 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Alexander SwidsinskiHumboldt University, Charité, CCM, 10098 Berlin, Germany. alexander.swidsinski@charite.de
Vera Loening-Baucke
Franz Theissig
Holger Engelhardt
Stig Bengmark
Stefan Koch
Herbert Lochs
Yvonne Dörffel
Humboldt State University · USCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · DEHelios Hospital Bad Saarow · DEHumboldt-Universität zu Berlin · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo study the role of mucus in the spatial separation of intestinal bacteria from mucosa. PATIENTS AND

methodsMucus barrier characteristics were evaluated using histological material obtained by biopsy from purged colon, colon prepared with enema and material from untreated appendices fixed with non-aqueous Carnoy solution. Bacteria were evaluated using fluorescence in situ hybridization, with bacterial 16S RNA probes and related to the periodic acid Schiff alcian blue stain. Biopsies from controls (n = 20), patients with self-limiting colitis (SLC; n = 20), ulcerative colitis (n = 20) and 60 randomly selected appendices were investigated.

resultsThe mucosal surface beneath the mucus layer was free of bacteria in > or =80% of the normal appendices and biopsies from controls. The thickness of the mucus layer and its spread decreased with increasing severity of the inflammation; the epithelial surface showed bacterial adherence, epithelial tissue defects and deep mucosal infiltration with bacteria and leucocytes. Bacteria and leucocytes were found within mucus in all biopsy specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis, SLC, and acute appendicitis. The concentration of bacteria within mucus was inversely correlated to the numbers of leucocytes.

conclusionsThe large bowel mucus layer effectively prevents contact between the highly concentrated luminal bacteria and the epithelial cells in all parts of the normal colon. Colonic inflammation is always accompanied by breaks in the mucus barrier. Although the inflammatory response gradually reduces the number of bacteria in mucus and faeces, the inflammation itself is not capable of preventing bacterial migration, adherence to and invasion of the mucosa.

Indexed as

Bacterial TranslocationAcute DiseaseAdultAppendicitisAppendixBacteriaBiopsyColitisColitis, UlcerativeEnemaFecesFemaleHumansImmunity, MucosalIntestinal MucosaLeukocyte Count

Identifiers

PMID16908512
PMCPMC1856798
OpenAlexW2114813730

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.