Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39438713›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2025

Severe anemia in preterm infants associated with increased bacterial virulence potential and metabolic disequilibrium.

Justin A Gibbons, Leigh-Anne M Worthington, Elizabeth G Chiu, Heather R Kates, Rico R Carter, Rachel Nelson, Min Zhang, Timothy J Garrett, Thao T B Ho

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric research, 2025. 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

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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
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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.

Justin A GibbonsCenter for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Leigh-Anne M WorthingtonDepartment of Pediatrics, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Elizabeth G ChiuDepartment of Pediatrics, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Heather R KatesDepartment of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Rico R CarterDepartment of Pediatrics, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Rachel NelsonDepartment of Pediatrics, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Min ZhangCenter for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Timothy J GarrettDepartment of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Thao T B HoDepartment of Pediatrics, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. tho1@usf.edu.

Funding

Enteral Iron Supplementation and Intestinal Health in Preterm InfantsK23HL150300 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA · PI HO, THAO · 2020 to 2024
$1.0M
Study Gut Dysbiosis in Anemic Preterm Infants Using a Multiomics ApproachR21HD112776 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA · PI HO, THAO · 2023 to 2023
$413k
NHLBI NIH HHS K23 HL150300NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD112776
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnemia in preterm infants is associated with gut dysbiosis and necrotizing enterocolitis. Our study aimed to identify the bacterial functions and metabolites that can explain the underlying mechanisms of anemia associated disease conditions.

methodsWe conducted a case control study in preterm infants with cases having a hematocrit

results18 anemic and 20 control infants with fecal samples collected at 17 days, 5 weeks, and 7 weeks postnatal age were included. Virulence factor potential, decrease in beta diversity evolution, and larger changes in metabolome were associated with severe anemia. Metabolite abundances of N-acetylneuraminate and butyrobetaine were associated with virulence factor potential. Anemic group had decreased prostaglandin and lactic acid levels.

conclusionFecal omics data showed that severe anemia is associated with a pro-inflammatory gut microbiota with more virulent and less commensal anaerobic bacterial activities. Future studies can examine the link between anemia-associated dysbiosis and clinical outcomes and predict an infant-specific hematocrit threshold that negatively affects clinical outcomes. IMPACT: Severe anemia in preterm infants contributes to a pro-inflammatory gut with greater bacterial virulence and less commensal bacterial activities. The multiomics approach using non-invasive fecal biospecimens identified functional and metabolic changes in the gut microbiota and these mechanistic changes are plausible explanations for anemia-associated disease conditions in preterm infants. Our findings identified biological changes of the gut environment in severely anemic preterm infants that can offer guidance for clinical management.

Indexed as

AnemiaBacteriaGastrointestinal MicrobiomeCase-Control StudiesDysbiosisEnterocolitis, NecrotizingFecesFemaleGestational AgeHematocritHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureMaleMetabolomeMetabolomicsVirulence Factors

Identifiers

PMID39438713
PMCPMC12012164

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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.