Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38326388›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2024

A novel infant microbiome formula (SIM03) improved eczema severity and quality of life in preschool children.

Oi Man Chan, Wenye Xu, Nam Sze Cheng, Agnes Sze Yin Leung, Jessica Yuet Ling Ching, Brian Leong Yuen Fong, Pui Kuan Cheong, Lin Zhang, Francis Ka Leung Chan, Siew Chien Ng and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.7field-weighted citation impact, top 8% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Association between vitamin BFrontiers in pediatrics · 2025
    Article
  5. Review
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

11 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Oi Man Chan *Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Wenye Xu *Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Nam Sze ChengDepartment of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Agnes Sze Yin LeungDepartment of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Jessica Yuet Ling ChingDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Brian Leong Yuen FongDepartment of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Pui Kuan CheongDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Lin ZhangDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Francis Ka Leung ChanDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Siew Chien NgDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ting Fan LeungDepartment of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China. tfleung@cuhk.edu.hk.
Chinese University of Hong Kong · HKPrince of Wales Hospital · CNShatin Hospital · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Altered gut microbiome composition has been reported in children with eczema and interventions that restore beneficial bacteria in the gut may improve eczema. This open-label pilot study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a novel infant microbiome formula (SIM03) in young children with eczema. Pre-school Chinese children aged 1-5 years old with eczema received SIM03 twice daily for three months. The novelty of SIM03 consists of both the use of a patented microencapsulation technology to protect the viability of unique Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium breve strains identified through big data analysis of large metagenomic datasets of young Chinese children. Paired stool samples at baseline and following SIM03 were analyzed by metagenomics sequencing. Generalized estimating equation was used to analyze changes in eczema severity, skin biophysical parameters, quality of life and stool microbiome. Twenty children aged 3.0 ± 1.6 years (10 with severe eczema) were recruited. Treatment compliance was ≥ 98%. SCORing Atopic Dermatitis score decreased significantly at two months (P = 0.008) and three months (P < 0.001), while quality of life improved significantly at 1, 2, and 3 months. The relative abundance of B. breve and microbial pathways on acetate and acetyl-CoA synthesis were enriched in stool samples at one month (P = 0.0014). Children who demonstrated increased B. bifidum after SIM03 showed improvement in sleep loss (P = 0.045). Relative abundance of B. breve correlated inversely with eczema extent (P = 0.023) and intensity (P = 0.019) only among patients with increased B. breve at Month 3. No serious adverse event was observed. In conclusion, SIM03 is well tolerated. This patented microbiome formula improves disease severity and quality of life in young eczematous children by enhancing the delivery of B. bifidum and B. breve in the gut. SIM03 is a potential treatment option for childhood eczema.

Indexed as

Bifidobacterium bifidumDermatitis, AtopicEczemaGastrointestinal MicrobiomeChildChild, PreschoolHumansInfantPilot ProjectsQuality of LifeAtopic dermatitisBifidobacteriumChildrenGut microbiomeProbiotic

Identifiers

PMID38326388
PMCPMC10850179
OpenAlexW4391597573

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.