Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33852069›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of nutrition2021

Modulation of gut microbiota protects against viral respiratory tract infections: a systematic review of animal and clinical studies.

Hai Yun Shi, Xi Zhu, Wei Lin Li, Joyce W Y Mak, Sunny H Wong, Sheng Tao Zhu, Shui Long Guo, Francis K L Chan, Shu Tian Zhang, Siew C Ng

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

31 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  10. iScience · 2025
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  11. Observational
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  18. Altered gut microbiome in convalescent patients with coronavirus disease 2019.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2024
    Article
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  20. Article
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

10 authors.

Hai Yun Shi *Department of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing, China.
Xi Zhu *Department of Urology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Wei Lin Li *Department of Medicine, Division of Genetics, Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Joyce W Y MakDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory for Digestive Disease, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Sunny H WongDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory for Digestive Disease, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Sheng Tao ZhuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing, China.
Shui Long GuoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing, China.
Francis K L ChanDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory for Digestive Disease, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Shu Tian ZhangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Digestive Disease Center, Beijing, China.
Siew C NgDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory for Digestive Disease, Institute of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. siewchienng@cuhk.edu.hk.

Funding

Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals' Youth Programme QML20180102Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission Z181100001718221Beijing Nova Program Z201100006820147Beijing Talents Fund 2017000021469G209National Nature Science Foundation of China 81702960
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEarlier studies suggest that probiotics have protective effects in the prevention of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Whether such benefits apply to RTIs of viral origin and mechanisms supporting the effect remain unclear.

aimTo determine the role of gut microbiota modulation on clinical and laboratory outcomes of viral RTIs.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review of articles published in Embase and MEDLINE through 20 April 2020 to identify studies reporting the effect of gut microbiota modulation on viral RTIs in clinical studies and animal models. The incidence of viral RTIs, clinical manifestations, viral load and immunological outcomes was evaluated.

resultsWe included 58 studies (9 randomized controlled trials; 49 animal studies). Six of eight clinical trials consisting of 726 patients showed that probiotics administration was associated with a reduced risk of viral RTIs. Most commonly used probiotics were Lactobacillus followed by Bifidobacterium and Lactococcus. In animal models, treatment with probiotics before viral challenge had beneficial effects against influenza virus infection by improving infection-induced survival (20/22 studies), mitigating symptoms (21/21 studies) and decreasing viral load (23/25 studies). Probiotics and commensal gut microbiota exerted their beneficial effects through strengthening host immunity.

conclusionModulation of gut microbiota represents a promising approach against viral RTIs via host innate and adaptive immunity regulation. Further research should focus on next generation probiotics specific to viral types in prevention and treatment of emerging viral RTIs.

Indexed as

Gastrointestinal MicrobiomeProbioticsRespiratory Tract InfectionsAnimalsBifidobacteriumHumansLactobacillusGut microbiotaProbioticsViral respiratory tract infections

Identifiers

PMID33852069
PMCPMC8044287

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.