Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28068788›Full record

Trial reportThe Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry2017

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum for the symptoms of depression.

Amy R Romijn, Julia J Rucklidge, Roeline G Kuijer, Chris Frampton

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

Trial report in The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 151 papers, 22 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
151citing papers in PubMed, 22 pooled it
8.2field-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

151 citing papers in PubMed, 22 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 324 citations in OpenAlex.

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91 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

4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Amy R Romijn1 Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Julia J Rucklidge1 Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Roeline G Kuijer1 Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Chris Frampton3 Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
University of Canterbury · NZUniversity of Otago · NZUniversity of South Wales · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis trial investigated whether probiotics improved mood, stress and anxiety in a sample selected for low mood. We also tested whether the presence or severity of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, and levels of proinflammatory cytokines, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and other blood markers, would predict or impact treatment response.

methodSeventy-nine participants (10 dropouts) not currently taking psychotropic medications with at least moderate scores on self-report mood measures were randomly allocated to receive either a probiotic preparation (containing Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum) or a matched placebo, in a double-blind trial for 8 weeks. Data were analysed as intent-to-treat.

resultsNo significant difference was found between the probiotic and placebo groups on any psychological outcome measure (Cohen's d range = 0.07-0.16) or any blood-based biomarker. At end-point, 9 (23%) of those in the probiotic group showed a ⩾60% change on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (responders), compared to 10 (26%) of those in the placebo group ([Formula: see text], p = ns). Baseline vitamin D level was found to moderate treatment effect on several outcome measures. Dry mouth and sleep disruption were reported more frequently in the placebo group.

conclusionsThis study found no evidence that the probiotic formulation is effective in treating low mood, or in moderating the levels of inflammatory and other biomarkers. The lack of observed effect on mood symptoms may be due to the severity, chronicity or treatment resistance of the sample; recruiting an antidepressant-naive sample experiencing mild, acute symptoms of low mood, may well yield a different result. Future studies taking a preventative approach or using probiotics as an adjuvant treatment may also be more effective. Vitamin D levels should be monitored in future studies in the area. The results of this trial are preliminary; future studies in the area should not be discouraged.

Indexed as

AffectBifidobacterium longumLactobacillus helveticusOutcome Assessment, Health CareRegistriesAdultAnxietyDepressionDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProbioticsStress, Psychologicalanxietygutimmune functioninflammationmoodProbioticstressvitamin D

Identifiers

PMID28068788
PMCPMC5518919
OpenAlexW2571547641

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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.