Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39838303›Full record

SynthesisBMC psychiatry2025

Efficacy and safety of gut microbiome-targeted treatment in patients with depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bo Pan, Yiming Pan, Yu-Song Huang, Meng Yi, Yuwei Hu, Xiaoyu Lian, Hui-Zhong Shi, Mingwei Wang, Guifen Xiang, Wen-Yi Yang and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

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

  1. Microbiome and well-being: a meta-analysis.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. 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

12 authors.

Bo Pan *Institute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Yiming Pan *Institute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Yu-Song Huang *Department of Cardiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Haining Rd 100, Shanghai, 200080, China.
Meng YiInstitute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Yuwei HuInstitute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xiaoyu LianInstitute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Hui-Zhong ShiDepartment of Hematology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.
Mingwei WangInstitute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Guifen XiangInstitute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Wen-Yi YangDepartment of Cardiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Haining Rd 100, Shanghai, 200080, China. wenyi.yang@shgh.cn.
Zhong LiuInstitute of Blood Transfusion Institution, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 26 Huacai Rd, Longtan Industry Zone, Chenghua District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. liuz@ibt.pumc.edu.cn.
Fangfang XiaDepartment of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China. helenxia4271@163.com.

Funding

the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS) 2021-I2M-1-060
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe study aimed to comprehensively analyze and establish a framework for evaluating the efficacy of microbiome-targeted treatment (MTT) for depression.

methodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on MTT in treating depression until October 19, 2023. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MTT. Comprehensive subgroup analyses were undertaken to explore factors influencing MTT's efficacy in treating depression. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023483649).

resultsThe study selection process identified 51,570 studies, of which 34 met the inclusion criteria. The overall pooled estimates showed that MTT significantly improved depression symptoms (SMD -0.26, 95% CI [-0.32, -0.19], I

conclusionsDespite the overall effectiveness of MTT in treating depression and its acceptable safety profile, caution is warranted in drawing this conclusion due to limitations posed by the small sample size of included studies and heterogeneity. The efficacy of MTT for depression exhibits variation influenced by geography, patient comorbidities, and duration of administration.

Indexed as

DepressionDepressive DisorderGastrointestinal MicrobiomeProbioticsHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeDepressionGeographical regionMeta-analysisMicrobiome–targeted therapyPatient characteristicsPrecision medicine

Identifiers

PMID39838303
PMCPMC11753086

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.