Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33464728›Full record

Observational studyClinical and translational gastroenterology2020

Ileocolonic Histopathological and Microbial Alterations in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Nested Community Case-Control Study.

Nicholas J Talley, James L Alexander, Marjorie M Walker, Michael P Jones, Luisa W Hugerth, Lars Engstrand, Lars Agréus, Nicholas Powell, Anna Andreasson

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Clinical and translational gastroenterology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 17% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea: Key clinical considerations.Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners · 2026
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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

9 authors at 6 institutions in 3 countries.

Nicholas J TalleyFaculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
James L AlexanderDivision of Digestive Disease, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Marjorie M WalkerNHMRC Center of Research Excellence in Digestive Health Newcastle, Australia.
Michael P JonesNHMRC Center of Research Excellence in Digestive Health Newcastle, Australia.
Luisa W HugerthCenter for Translational Microbiome Research, CTMR, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Science for Life Laboratory, Solna, Sweden.
Lars EngstrandCenter for Translational Microbiome Research, CTMR, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Science for Life Laboratory, Solna, Sweden.
Lars AgréusDivision for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
Nicholas PowellNHMRC Center of Research Excellence in Digestive Health Newcastle, Australia.
Anna AndreassonDepartment of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Australia.
Imperial College London · GBNational Health and Medical Research Council · AUScience for Life Laboratory · SEKarolinska Institutet · SEMacquarie University · AUUniversity of Newcastle Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHistopathological alterations in the ileum and colon in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are controversial, and normal values are poorly established. We hypothesized that changes in mucosal immune cells characterize IBS and key changes in immune composition are associated with the mucosa-associated microbiota (MaM).

methodsA nested case-control study (48 IBS and 106 controls included) from 745 colonoscopy participants in a random population sample. Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs)/100 enterocytes and eosinophils/5 nonoverlapping high-power fields counted; mast cells identified by immunocytochemistry (CD117)/5 high-power fields. Paneth cells quantified per 5 crypts. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing performed on available sigmoid MaM, n = 55 and fecal microbiota, n = 20. Microbiota profiles compared between samples with high and low IEL counts.

resultsIBS had increased IELs in the terminal ileum (relative risk ratio = 1.70, 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.76, P = 0.022 adjusted for age, sex, and smoking). Cecal IELs were increased in IBS-diarrhea (relative risk ratio = 2.03, 95% confidence interval 1.13-3.63, P = 0.017). No difference was observed in alpha diversity of MaM or fecal microbiota based on IEL count. There was no difference in beta diversity of the MaM according to IEL count in the terminal ileal (TI) (P = 0.079). High TI IEL counts associated with a significant expansion of the genus Blautia (P = 0.024) and unclassified Clostridiales (P = 0.036) in colon MaM. DISCUSSION: A modest but significant increase in IELs was observed in IBS vs. controls in a population-based setting. Subtle TI and cecal inflammation may play a pathogenic role in IBS but needs confirmation. Modest but discernible differences in the colonic MaM were seen according to TI IEL count but not IBS status.

Indexed as

AdultBiopsyCase-Control StudiesColonDNA, BacterialEubacterialesFecesFemaleGastrointestinal MicrobiomeHumansIleumIntestinal MucosaIrritable Bowel SyndromeMaleMast CellsMiddle AgedDNA, BacterialRNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Identifiers

PMID33464728
PMCPMC8345925
OpenAlexW3113425054

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.