Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39060543›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of clinical nutrition2024

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG as a probiotic for preterm infants: a strain specific systematic review and meta-analysis.

Anitha Ananthan, Haribalakrishna Balasubramanian, Chandra Rath, Saravanan Muthusamy, Shripada Rao, Sanjay Patole

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of clinical nutrition, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Microorganisms · 2025
    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

6 authors.

Anitha AnanthanDepartment of Neonatology, Seth GS Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India. ani.gem81@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1007-7437
Haribalakrishna BalasubramanianDepartment of Neonatology, Surya Mother and Child Care Hospital, Mumbai, India.
Chandra RathDepartment of Neonatology, Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7584-1996
Saravanan MuthusamyDepartment of Neonatology, Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, WA, Australia.
Shripada RaoDepartment of Neonatology, Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, WA, Australia.
Sanjay PatoleSchool of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) is a widely used and extensively researched probiotic. Probiotic effects are considered to be strain specific. We aimed to comprehensively assess the strain-specific effects of LGG in preterm infants. A systematic review of RCTs and non-RCTs to evaluate the effect of LGG in preterm infants. We followed the Cochrane methodology, and preferred reporting items for systematic reviews (PRISMA) statement for conducting and reporting this review. We searched the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, PubMed, EMBASE and CINAHL databases till December 2023. The review was registered in PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022324933. Meta-analysis of data from RCTs that used LGG as the sole probiotic showed significantly lower risk of NEC ≥Stage II [5 RCTs, n = 851, RR:0.50 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.93), P = 0.03] in the LGG group. There was no significant difference in the risk of LOS [7 RCTs, n = 1037, RR:1.08 (95% CI 0.84, 1.39), P = 0.55], mortality [3 RCTs, n = 207, RR: 0.99 (95% CI: 0.42, 2.33), P = 0.99], time to reach full feeds [2 RCTs, n = 19, SMD = 0.11 days (95% CI: -0.22, 0.45), P = 0.51] and duration of hospital stay [3 RCTs, n = 293, SMD: -0.14 days (95% CI: -0.37 to 0.09), P = 0.23]. Meta-analysis of data from non-RCTs showed no significant effect of LGG on NEC, LOS, and mortality. RCTs showed beneficial effects of LGG when used as the sole probiotic in reducing the risk of NEC, whereas observational studies did not. Strain-specific systematic review of LGG provides important data for guiding research and clinical practice.

Indexed as

Infant, PrematureLacticaseibacillus rhamnosusProbioticsEnterocolitis, NecrotizingHumansInfant, Newborn

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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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.