Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27593544›Full record

Trial reportAlimentary pharmacology & therapeutics2016

Randomised clinical trial: the effects of a multispecies probiotic vs. placebo on innate immune function, bacterial translocation and gut permeability in patients with cirrhosis.

A Horvath, B Leber, B Schmerboeck, M Tawdrous, G Zettel, A Hartl, T Madl, S Stryeck, D Fuchs, S Lemesch and 10 more

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

Trial report in Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 69 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
69citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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

69 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 114 citations in OpenAlex.

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9 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

20 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

A HorvathDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
B LeberDepartment of Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. bettina.leber@medunigraz.at.
B SchmerboeckDepartment of Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
M TawdrousDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
G ZettelDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
A HartlDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
T MadlInstitute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
S StryeckInstitute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
D FuchsDivision of Biological Chemistry, Biocentre, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
S LemeschDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
P DouschanDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
E KronesDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
W SpindelboeckDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
F DurchscheinDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
F RainerDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
G ZollnerDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
R E StauberDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
P FickertDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
P StieglerDepartment of Transplantation Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
V StadlbauerDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Medical University of Graz · ATInnsbruck Medical University · AT

Funding

Austrian Science Fund FWF P 28854Austrian Science Fund FWF W 1241
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProbiotics may correct intestinal dysbiosis and proinflammatory conditions in patients with liver cirrhosis.

aimTo test the effects of a multispecies probiotic on innate immune function, bacterial translocation and gut permeability.

methodsIn a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled study, stable cirrhotic out-patients either received a daily dose of a probiotic powder containing eight different bacterial strains (Ecologic Barrier, Winclove, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) (n = 44) or a placebo (n = 36) for 6 months and were followed up for another 6 months.

resultsWe found a significant but subclinical increase in neutrophil resting burst (2.6-3.2%, P = 0.0134) and neopterin levels (7.7-8.4 nmol/L, P = 0.001) with probiotics but not with placebo. Probiotic supplementation did not have a significant influence on neutrophil phagocytosis, endotoxin load, gut permeability or inflammatory markers. Ten severe infections occurred in total; one during intervention in the placebo group, and five and four after the intervention has ended in the probiotic and placebo group, respectively. Liver function showed some improvement with probiotics but not with placebo.

conclusionsProbiotic supplementation significantly increased serum neopterin levels and the production of reactive oxygen species by neutrophils. These findings might explain the beneficial effects of probiotics on immune function. Furthermore, probiotic supplementation may be a well-tolerated method to maintain or even improve liver function in stable cirrhosis. However, its influence on gut barrier function and bacterial translocation in cirrhotic patients is minimal.

Indexed as

AdultBacterial TranslocationDietary SupplementsDouble-Blind MethodFemaleGastrointestinal AbsorptionGram-Negative BacteriaHumansImmunity, InnateLiver CirrhosisMaleMiddle AgedPermeabilityProbioticsTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID27593544
PMCPMC5053220
OpenAlexW2514761903

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.