Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42090020›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of nutrition2026

Probiotic modulation of gut microbiota with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11 and Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8661 mitigates recurrent respiratory infections in children: a randomised-controlled trial.

Ke Chen, Weiwei Ma, Jiayi Zhong, Ping Yang, Nianyang He, Wei Jiang, Changqi Liu

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of nutrition, 2026. 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

7 authors.

Ke Chen *Department of Clinical Nutrition, Chengdu Women's & Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. kechen@uestc.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7455-0900
Weiwei Ma *College of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Jiayi Zhong *Department of Clinical Nutrition, Chengdu Women's & Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Ping YangDepartment of Child Health Care, Xindu Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Chengdu, China.
Nianyang HeDepartment of Child Health Care, Xindu Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Chengdu, China.
Wei JiangLaboratory of Microbiology, Immunology and Metabolism, Diprobio (Shanghai) Co, limited, Shanghai, China.
Changqi LiuSchool of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA.

Funding

Dipro Medical Research Fund DiCROH2301200701
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in children are associated with substantial morbidity and healthcare burden. Modulation of the gut microbiota via probiotics represents a potential adjunctive strategy to prevent recurrent infections. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis XLTG11 and Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8661 in children with RRTIs.

methodsIn a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 120 children with RRTIs received either daily probiotic supplementation (1 × 10

resultsProbiotics significantly improved clinical efficacy compared with placebo in both per-protocol [82.1% vs. 64.2%, p = 0.033] and intention-to-treat analyses [76.7% vs. 56.7%, p = 0.020]. Children in the probiotic group experienced fewer and shorter respiratory episodes, including fever, cough, and pharyngeal congestion (all p < 0.05). Probiotic supplementation increased beneficial taxa (B. breve, L. plantarum, S. salivarius, W. cetiin) and reduced potentially pathogenic taxa (Anaerostipes, Vibrio). IgG and IgM levels remained stable or decreased in the probiotic group, contrasting with increases in the placebo group, indicating a balanced humoral response. No adverse events were reported.

conclusionsDaily administration of XLTG11 and CCFM8661 for three months is safe and improves clinical outcomes in children with RRTIs, reducing new respiratory episodes and modulating gut microbiota and immune function. These findings support strain-specific probiotics as a viable adjunctive therapy in pediatric respiratory infections.

Indexed as

Bifidobacterium animalisGastrointestinal MicrobiomeLactiplantibacillus plantarumProbioticsRespiratory Tract InfectionsBiomarkersChildChild, PreschoolDouble-Blind MethodFecesFemaleHumansInfantMaleRecurrenceBiomarkersChildrenGut microbiotaImmune modulationProbioticsRecurrent respiratory tract infections

Identifiers

PMID42090020

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.