Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40635319›Full record

Trial reportJournal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition2025

Calcium butyrate efficacy in pediatric irritable bowel syndrome: Randomized placebo-controlled multiomics-based clinical trial.

Fernanda Cristofori, Francesco Maria Calabrese, Ilaria Iacobellis, Monica Santamaria, Giuseppe Celano, Ilario Ferrocino, Emanuela Di Sabato, Rocco Pergola, Vanessa N Dargenio, Leonardo Paulucci and 2 more

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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.

NCT04566679 naunknown statusnot on this map

Butyrate in Children With IBS: Double Blind Placebo Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of BariRan2021 to 2023Enrolled50ConditionsIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Children, OnlyArmsDibuzin, placebo
NCT07371975 nacompletednot on this map

A Study to Evaluate the Effects of a Butyrate-Polyphenol Formulation on Gut Health and Associated Symptoms

TypeinterventionalSponsorSupplement Formulators, Inc.Ran2025 to 2026Enrolled124ConditionsGut HealthArmsButyrate + Polyphenol Formulation, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Review
  3. 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

12 authors.

Fernanda CristoforiInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Pediatric Section, Children's Hospital' Giovanni XXIII', University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5849-8110
Francesco Maria CalabreseDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0176-7046
Ilaria IacobellisDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Monica SantamariaDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Giuseppe CelanoDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Ilario FerrocinoDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy.
Emanuela Di SabatoInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Pediatric Section, Children's Hospital' Giovanni XXIII', University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Rocco PergolaInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Pediatric Section, Children's Hospital' Giovanni XXIII', University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Vanessa N DargenioInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Pediatric Section, Children's Hospital' Giovanni XXIII', University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Leonardo PaulucciInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Pediatric Section, Children's Hospital' Giovanni XXIII', University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Maria De AngelisDepartment of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
Ruggiero FrancavillaInterdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Pediatric Section, Children's Hospital' Giovanni XXIII', University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.

Funding

None
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders, and treatment involves nonpharmacological and pharmacological therapies, even if there is no optimal therapy. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of calcium butyrate supplementation in reducing IBS symptoms and to assess its effects on gut microbiota composition and relative metabolic profiles through a multiomics approach.

methodsChildren aged 4-17 years with IBS diagnosed according to the Rome IV criteria were randomized to receive either a formulation based on calcium butyrate (500 mg/day) or placebo for 8 weeks, followed by a 4-week follow-up period. Clinical assessments included the visual analogue scale (VAS) and gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS). Fecal samples were analyzed via 16S metataxonomics and targeted/untargeted metabolomics. The primary outcome was an ≥50% reduction in the VAS scores. Secondary outcomes included microbiota composition changes and metabolite profile alterations.

resultsFifty-one children were enrolled. Treatment success was significantly higher in the butyrate group (73% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.0001). VAS and GSRS scores were significantly reduced in butyrate-treated patients at the end of treatment and postwashout. Metataxonomic analysis revealed increased short chain fatty acids-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcus gauvreauii, while pro-inflammatory taxa such as Ruminococcus gnavus decreased. Metabolomics confirmed significant changes in SCFA and VOCs, supporting microbiota modulation. DISCUSSION: Calcium butyrate supplementation effectively reduced IBS symptoms and induced beneficial microbiota and metabolic shifts in pediatric patients. These findings support butyrate as a potential therapy in pediatric IBS, warranting further large-scale investigations to confirm efficacy and optimize dosing strategies. CLINICAL TRIAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: Study registered on: https://ClinicalTrials.gov. Number of registration: NCT04566679 Date of registration: 28/09/2020. Date of first enrollment of patients: 01/05/2021.

Indexed as

ButyratesButyric AcidDietary SupplementsGastrointestinal MicrobiomeIrritable Bowel SyndromeAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolDouble-Blind MethodFecesFemaleHumansMaleMultiomicsTreatment OutcomeButyratesButyric Acid16S sequencingfecal metabolomicsgut homeostasisintestinal microbiotaSCFAs

Identifiers

PMID40635319
PMCPMC12408980

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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 Socratic graph.