Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40394705›Full record

ArticleLaboratory animal research2025

Evaluation of commercial diets on fecal consistency and defecation frequency in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with chronic intermittent idiopathic diarrhea.

Annemiek Maaskant, Niels R Blees, Antoine Smits, Ronald J Corbee, Jaco Bakker, Jan A M Langermans, Edmond J Remarque

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Laboratory animal research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. A review of chronic enterocolitis of rhesus macaques (Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026
    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

7 authors.

Annemiek MaaskantBiomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, Rijswijk, 2288 GJ, Netherlands. maaskant@bprc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5385-9906
Niels R BleesDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CM, Netherlands.
Antoine SmitsBiomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, Rijswijk, 2288 GJ, Netherlands.
Ronald J CorbeeDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CM, Netherlands.
Jaco BakkerBiomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, Rijswijk, 2288 GJ, Netherlands.
Jan A M Langermans *Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, Rijswijk, 2288 GJ, Netherlands.
Edmond J Remarque *Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, Rijswijk, 2288 GJ, Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecurrent diarrhea is common health and welfare problem in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Aside from infectious causes, dietary factors have been implicated in diarrhea. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate commercially available pelleted diets in rhesus macaques with chronic intermittent idiopathic diarrhea. The main differences between these diets were lactose and fiber content. A randomized cross-over diet study was conducted to investigate the influence of each diet on fecal consistency and defecation frequency as indicators of diarrhea. Nine animals with chronic intermittent diarrhea and four controls were included. Each diet was fed for approximately three months, with a similar wash-out period after each diet cycle. The fecal consistency was graded using the Waltham Faeces Scoring system, with a cutoff score of > 3.5 indicating diarrhea. Both groups and diets were compared by both mixed and fixed effect models.

resultsDescriptive data showed that the mean fecal consistency score was highest in the diarrhea group in the standard diet at 3.71 ± 0.456 whereas the lowest mean fecal consistency scores were observed for lactose-free and high fiber diet in both diarrhea (3.25 ± 0.423) and control group (3.04 ± 0.346). A significant improvement of the fecal consistency score was detected in the diarrhea group when fed lactose-free diets (-0.41(-0.65 - -0.16, P < 0.01) and -0.47(-0.68 --0.25, P < 0.0002), respectively). Lactose-free and high fiber content showed the best outcome regarding improvement of the fecal consistency score -0.47(CL -0.68-- 0.25, P < 0.0002). Defecation frequency increased in both groups with 1.21(CL 0.65 - 1.78, P < 0.00001) per observation day when fed a lactose-free, high-fiber diet.

conclusionsLactose-free and high-fiber showed overall the best improvement of the fecal consistency in animals with diarrhea. Switching to commercially available lactose-free diets may decrease diarrhea incidence in rhesus macaques suffering from chronic intermittent idiopathic diarrhea. Nevertheless, additional nutritional research is warranted and establishing optimal nutritional requirements for captive macaques will add to our ability to understand and improve dietary interventions.

Indexed as

Defecation frequencyFiberLactoseMonkeysNutritionSFCAsStool consistencyWaltham Faeces ScoreWelfare

Identifiers

PMID40394705
PMCPMC12090390

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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.