RT Journal Article
T1 Effect of probiotics on C-reactive protein levels in schizophrenia: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis
A1 Romero Ferreiro, Verónica
A1 García Fernández, Lorena
A1 Biscaia, José Miguel
A1 Romero, Carmen
A1 González Soltero, Rocío
A1 Fuente Del Rey, María Mónica De La
A1 Álvarez Mon, Miguel A.
A1 Wynn, Rolf
A1 Rodríguez Jiménez, Roberto
AB BackgroundInflammatory markers play a pivotal role in schizophrenia, as they provide insight into the neuroinflammatory processes occurring in the context of the disorder. Elevated levels of these markers, particularly C-reactive protein (CRP), can indicate an underlying immune system dysregulation, potentially influencing symptom severity and progression. Recognizing these markers has led to investigate the use of probiotics as an adjuvant to improve the treatment of schizophrenia. The main objective of this study is to rigorously evaluate the efficacy of probiotics in reducing plasma levels of CRP in patients with schizophrenia.MethodsA systematic search and meta-analysis were conducted to review randomized clinical trials following the PRISMA methodology. The following search strategy ((SCHIZO* OR PSYCHOTIC OR PSYCHOSES) AND (PROBIOTIC* OR BIFIDOBACTER* OR LACTOBACILL*)) was used for searching publications between June-December 2024 on the PubMed, Web of Science, and APA PsycINFO databases. Individual study quality was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias (RoB2) and the certainty of total evidence was assessed with the GRADE system.ResultsThe primary outcome assessed was the impact of probiotic supplementation on plasma CRP levels. Out of 78 studies initially identified, 4 were finally included in the meta-analysis. Three out four studies found a significant reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in the supplemented compared with the placebo group. The pooled analysis revealed a significant reduction in CRP levels with probiotic supplementation, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) of −0.46, (95 % CI −0.719; −0.201; p = 0.001).ConclusionsThe synthesis and meta-analysis of available literature provide evidence for the potential role of probiotics in the reduction of serum CRP in schizophrenia compared with placebo. However, more clinical trials with better control of experimental design are needed before a clear recommendation as adjuvant therapy can be made.
PB Elsevier
SN 0965-2299
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/118436
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/118436
LA eng
NO Romero-Ferreiro, V., García-Fernández, L., Biscaia, J. M., Romero, C., González-Soltero, R., De La Fuente, M., Álvarez-Mon, M. A., Wynn, R., & Rodriguez-Jimenez, R. (2025). Effect of probiotics on C-reactive protein levels in schizophrenia: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 89, 103126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2025.103126
NO This research was supported in part by the by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI19/00766; Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias/FEDER), by the European Development Regional Fund ‘‘A way to achieve Europe’’ (ERDF), by Madrid Regional Government (R&D activities in Biomedicine P2022/BMD-7216 (AGES-CM 3-CM)) and Structural Funds of the European Union, by CIBERSAM-ISCIII.
NO Instituto de Salud Carlos III
NO European Commission
NO Comunidad de Madrid
DS Docta Complutense
RD 21 abr 2025