Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42172921›Full record

SynthesisEBioMedicine2026

Paediatric DNA methylation profile scores: a systematic review and open-source atlas.

Isabel K Schuurmans, Serena Defina, A P C Hermans, Alexander Neumann, Matthew Suderman, Paul Yousefi, Janine F Felix, Charlotte A M Cecil

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in EBioMedicine, 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. Article
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.

Isabel K SchuurmansDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: i.schuurmans@erasmusmc.nl.
Serena DefinaDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
A P C HermansDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Alexander NeumannDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Matthew SudermanMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, UK.
Paul YousefiMRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK; NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, UK.
Janine F FelixThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Charlotte A M CecilDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Methylation profile scores (MPSs) have emerged as a useful tool to index exposures, biological states, or disease-related patterns, by aggregating information across many DNA methylation (DNAm) sites into a single score per individual. Although most MPSs to date have been trained and validated in adults, their use in early life (<18 years) is rapidly gaining momentum, as more cohorts profile DNAm during development, offering a window on exposures and vulnerability before disease onset. Here we systematically review early-life MPS studies (n = 119), covering 828 MPSs that span a wide range of exposures and traits. Overall, studies show substantial heterogeneity in design and reporting. Also, studies frequently apply MPSs trained in data from mismatched age groups, tissues, array or platforms, and ancestries, which may influence MPS performance. To address these limitations, we introduce DEMETRA (indepthlab-demetra.share.connect.posit.cloud), a searchable atlas of early-life MPSs to help users identify and select scores best suited to their study.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationEpigenomicsChildComputational BiologyEpigenesis, GeneticHumansBiomarkerEpigeneticsPaediatricPolygenic risk scorePrediction

Identifiers

PMID42172921
PMCPMC13224112

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.