{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T18:01:10Z","timestamp":1790791270796,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,10]],"date-time":"2025-03-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1741564800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Microorganisms"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in gastrointestinal inflammation and immune response since changes in microbiota may result in abnormal neurotransmitter expression, inducing changes in gastrointestinal sensory\u2013motor function and leading to symptom onset in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. The Bifidobacterium adolescentis species has a documented immunomodulatory effect through its ability to produce \u03b3-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, which is reduced in IBS patients. This is a multicentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of Bifidobacterium adolescentis PRL2019 in children with IBS. IBS children diagnosed according to Rome IV criteria were enrolled and randomized into two groups to receive one stick containing 20 \u00d7 109 colony-forming unit of Bifidobacterium adolescentis PRL2019 (Gabapral, Pontenure, Italy) or an equivalent placebo once a day, in a 1:1 ratio, for 12 weeks. Clinical evaluation of symptoms was performed every four weeks using validated scores. Bowel habit characteristics were assessed using the Bristol Stool Chart (BSC). Seventy-two subjects (mean age 12.2 \u00b1 1.8 years, 30 males) were enrolled and randomized into two groups, each of thirty-six patients. No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding demographic characteristics, distribution of IBS subtypes, or baseline measures of IBS severity and BSC. The proportion of patients achieving complete remission was significantly higher in the BA Group (19\/36; 52.8%) than in the Placebo Group (7\/36; 19.4%, p = 0.003, odds ratio [OR] 0.216, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.075\u20130.619). Both groups obtained a reduction in Total IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS SSS), Pain Intensity Score (PIS), Pain Frequency Score (PFS), and Life Interference Score (LIS) from T0 to T12. However, upon intergroup comparison, only in the BA group did the IBS-SSS (p = 0.001), PIS (p = 0.001), LIS (p = 0.015), and PFS (p = 0.005) significantly improve between T0 and T12. BSC showed a greater representation of normal stools (type 3\u20134) at the end of treatment in the BA group compared with baseline (25% vs. 58.3%, p = 0.004), especially in patients who presented an IBS\u2013constipation subtype at T0 (44.5% vs. 19.4%, p = 0.02). In our study, Bifidobacterium adolescentis PRL2019 reduces the severity and frequency of symptoms in children with IBS, positively affecting bowel habits in children with the IBS\u2013constipation subtype.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms13030627","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,10]],"date-time":"2025-03-10T12:02:59Z","timestamp":1741608179000},"page":"627","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Bifidobacterium adolescentis PRL2019 in Pediatric Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Multicentric, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7448-8710","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina","family":"Giorgio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario \u201cA. Gemelli\u201d IRCCS, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6729-5630","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanna","family":"Quatrale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4000-6004","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maurizio","family":"Mennini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marisa","family":"Piccirillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Furio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Stella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario \u201cA. Gemelli\u201d IRCCS, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3854-9299","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessandro","family":"Ferretti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9042-8120","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pasquale","family":"Parisi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Melania","family":"Evangelisti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Enrico","family":"Felici","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Children\u2019s Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, 15121 Alessandria, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0734-7472","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paolo","family":"Quitadamo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children\u2019s Hospital, 80122 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9026-7758","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Di Nardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy"},{"name":"Pediatric Unit, Sant\u2019Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1456","DOI":"10.1053\/j.gastro.2016.02.015","article-title":"Functional Disorders: Children and Adolescents","volume":"150","author":"Hyams","year":"2016","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"S143","DOI":"10.1016\/S0016-5085(14)60508-4","article-title":"Prevalence of child\/adolescent functional gastrointestinal disorders in a national U.S. community sample","volume":"146","author":"Walker","year":"2014","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"707","DOI":"10.1097\/MPG.0b013e3182662401","article-title":"Parental report of abdominal pain and abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders from a community survey","volume":"55","author":"Saps","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. 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