Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40682023›Full record

Observational studyBMC medicine2025

Association of specific microbiota taxa in the amniotic fluid at birth with severe acute and longer-term outcomes of very preterm infants: a prospective observational study.

Birte Staude, Silvia Gschwendtner, Tina Frodermann, Frank Oehmke, Thomas Kohl, Susanne Walch, Michael Schloter, Harald Ehrhardt

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

8 authors.

Birte Staude *Department of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus Liebig University and Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Giessen, Germany.
Silvia Gschwendtner *Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Tina FrodermannDepartment of General Pediatrics and Neonatology, Justus Liebig University and Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Giessen, Germany.
Frank OehmkeDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Thomas KohlDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Susanne WalchResearch Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Michael SchloterResearch Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Harald EhrhardtDivision of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Center Ulm, Ulm, Germany. harald.ehrhardt@uniklinik-ulm.de.

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft KFO309/2
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDysbiotic microbial colonization predisposes to severe outcomes of prematurity, including mortality and severe morbidities like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), late-onset infection (LOI) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Here, we studied the variations in the bacterial signatures in the amniotic fluid (AF) of very preterm deliveries < 32 weeks with severe acute and longer-term outcomes within a prospective cohort study.

methodsOne hundred twenty-six AF samples were available for 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding to describe bacterial community structure and diversity in connection to intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH), LOI, focal intestinal perforation (FIP), NEC, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and the 2-year cognitive (MDI) and motor (PDI) outcome.

resultsDiversity and overall bacterial community composition did not differ between the studied outcomes. But disparities in sequences assigned to single bacterial taxa were observed for the acute outcomes LOI and ROP and the longer-term impairments of MDI and PDI. Enrichments associated with a poor acute outcome were particularly detected in the Escherichia-Shigella cluster, while the predominance of Ureaplasma and Enterococcus species was associated with unrestricted acute and longer-term outcomes. Analysis for FIP did not reach any significance. IVH and NEC constituted rare events, prohibiting the analyses.

conclusionsOur data provide evidence that microbiota patterns at birth might allow the early identification of infants at risk for the severe outcomes of prematurity and argue against morbidity-specific associations. The data support the early origins hypothesis and relevant contribution of prenatal factors. The partly existing disparities between acute and longer-term outcomes might be traced back to the relevant impact of the diverse longitudinal exposures and socioeconomic factors.

Indexed as

Amniotic FluidInfant, Premature, DiseasesMicrobiotaBacteriaFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureMalePregnancyProspective StudiesRNA, Ribosomal, 16SRNA, Ribosomal, 16S16S rRNAAmniotic fluidBronchopulmonary dysplasiaIntraventricular haemorrhageLate-onset infectionMicrobiomePreterm infantPsychomotor outcomeRespiratory distressRetinopathy of prematurity

Identifiers

PMID40682023
PMCPMC12275360

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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.