Evidence map›Paper›PMID 19598302›Full record

Trial reportWorld journal of gastroenterology2009

Specific probiotics alleviate allergic rhinitis during the birch pollen season.

Arthur C Ouwehand, Merja Nermes, Maria Carmen Collado, Nina Rautonen, Seppo Salminen, Erika Isolauri

Open access · hybridAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in World journal of gastroenterology, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
51citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
11.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% 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

51 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 126 citations in OpenAlex.

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  14. The anti-allergic effect ofFrontiers in nutrition · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Arthur C OuwehandHealth & Nutrition, Danisco Finland, 02460 Kantvik, Finland. arthur.ouwehand@danisco.com
Merja Nermes
Maria Carmen Collado
Nina Rautonen
Seppo Salminen
Erika Isolauri
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · USUniversity of Turku · FIIndependent Dance · GBTurku University Hospital · FI

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo investigate whether birch pollen allergy symptoms are linked with gut microbiota changes and whether probiotics have an effect on these.

methodsForty seven children with confirmed birch pollen allergy were randomized to receive either a probiotic combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) NCFM (ATCC 700396) and Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis) Bl-04 (ATCC SD5219) or placebo in a double-blind manner for 4 mo, starting prior to onset of the birch pollen season. Symptoms were recorded in a diary. Blood samples were taken for analysis of cytokines and eosinophils. Fecal samples were analysed for microbiota components, calprotectin and IgA. Nasal swabs were taken for analysis of eosinophils.

resultsThe pollen season induced a reduction in Bifidobacterium, Clostridium and Bacteroides which could not be prevented by the probiotic intervention. During the intervention, significantly higher numbers of B. lactis 11.2 x 10(7) +/- 4.2 x 10(7) vs 0.1 x 10(7) +/- 0.1 x 10(7) bacteria/g feces (P < 0.0001) and L. acidophilus NCFM 3.5 x 10(6) +/- 1.3 x 10(6) vs 0.2 x 10(6) +/- 0.1 x 10(6) bacteria/g feces (P < 0.0001) were observed in the probiotic group compared to the placebo group. During May, there was a tendency for fewer subjects, (76.2% vs 95.2%, P = 0.078) to report runny nose, while during June, fewer subjects, 11.1% vs 33.3%, reported nasal blocking in the probiotics group (P = 0.101). Concomitantly, fewer subjects in the probiotic group had infiltration of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa compared to the placebo group, 57.1% vs 95% (P = 0.013). Eye symptoms tended to be slightly more frequent in the probiotic group, 12.5 d [interquartile range (IQR) 6-18] vs 7.5 d (IQR 0-11.5) (P = 0.066) during May. Fecal IgA was increased in the placebo group during the pollen season; this increase was prevented by the probiotics (P = 0.028).

conclusionBirch pollen allergy was shown to be associated with changes in fecal microbiota composition. The specific combination of probiotics used was shown to prevent the pollen-induced infiltration of eosinophils into the nasal mucosa, and indicated a trend for reduced nasal symptoms.

Indexed as

AdolescentAllergensBetulaBifidobacteriumChildChild, PreschoolCytokinesDouble-Blind MethodEosinophilsFecesFemaleHumansLactobacillus acidophilusMalePlacebosPollenAllergensCytokinesPlacebos

Identifiers

PMID19598302
PMCPMC2710782
OpenAlexW2114574400

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.