Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29351288›Full record

SynthesisPLoS neglected tropical diseases2018

Environmental enteric dysfunction pathways and child stunting: A systematic review.

Kaitlyn M Harper, Maxine Mutasa, Andrew J Prendergast, Jean Humphrey, Amee R Manges

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 128 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
128citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
18.0field-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

128 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 217 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Effect of one prophylactic dose of azithromycin on Bifidobacterium infantis colonization in infants from the Mumta trial.International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases · 2025
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68 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

5 authors at 3 institutions in 4 countries.

Kaitlyn M HarperSchool of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Maxine MutasaFaculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada.
Andrew J PrendergastBlizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
Jean HumphreyZvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Amee R MangesSchool of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-2462-7249
Johns Hopkins University · USUniversity of British Columbia · CASimon Fraser University · CA

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEnvironmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is commonly defined as an acquired subclinical disorder of the small intestine, characterized by villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia. EED has been proposed to underlie stunted growth among children in developing countries. A collection of biomarkers, organized into distinct domains, has been used to measure different aspects of EED. Here, we examine whether these hypothesized relationships, among EED domains and between each domain and stunting, are supported by data from recent studies. METHODOLOGY: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CINAHL between January 1, 2010 and April 20, 2017. Information on study objective, design, population, location, biomarkers, and results were recorded, as well as qualitative and quantitative definitions of EED. Biomarkers were organized into five EED domains, and the number of studies that support or do not support relationships among domains and between each domain with stunting were summarized.

resultsThere was little evidence to support the pathway from intestinal permeability to microbial translocation and from microbial translocation to stunting, but stronger support existed for the link between intestinal inflammation and systemic inflammation and for intestinal inflammation and stunting. There was conflicting evidence for the pathways from intestinal damage to intestinal permeability and intestinal damage to stunting.

conclusionsThese results suggest that certain EED biomarkers may require reconsideration, particularly those most difficult to measure, such as microbial translocation and intestinal permeability. We discuss several issues with currently used biomarkers and recommend further analysis of pathogen-induced changes to the intestinal microbiota as a pathway leading to stunting.

Indexed as

Bacterial TranslocationGrowth DisordersBiomarkersChildEnteritisHumansBiomarkers

Identifiers

PMID29351288
PMCPMC5792022
OpenAlexW2783060248

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.