Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (606 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A dextrodisaccharide from malt and starch. It is used as a sweetening agent and fermentable intermediate in brewing. (Grant and Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Glucans; Disaccharides
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 5,346 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Maltose” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 719 of them (13.4%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 2,624 records.
Reviews account for 202 records (3.8%) and meta-analyses for 30. Randomized controlled trials number 203 (3.8%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 2,624 |
| 2000-2009 | 904 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,099 |
| 2020 onward | 719 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 202 | 3.8% |
| Meta-analyses | 30 | 0.6% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 203 | 3.8% |
Method: PubMed query "Maltose"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure and boosting activity of a starch-degrading lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase | 2015 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 217 | cc by PMID 25608804 · DOI · PMC4338556 |
| Ferric carboxymaltose reduces transfusions and hospital stay in patients with colon cancer and anemia | 2016 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 97 | cc by PMID 26694926 · DOI · PMC4773500 |
| Investigation of 6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose as a novel PET tracer for imaging bacterial infection | 2014 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 78 | cc by PMID 25243851 · DOI · PMC4171493 |
| Ferric carboxymaltose for anemia in late pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial | 2025 | Randomized controlled trial Design not recorded in structured metadata | 18 | cc by PMID 39762420 · DOI · PMC11750709 |
Structure and boosting activity of a starch-degrading lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are recently discovered enzymes that oxidatively deconstruct polysaccharides.
- Closing excerpt
- The detailed structure of the enzyme's active site yields insights into the mechanism of action of this important class of enzymes.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (100 words)
Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are recently discovered enzymes that oxidatively deconstruct polysaccharides. LPMOs are fundamental in the effective utilization of these substrates by bacteria and fungi; moreover, the enzymes have significant industrial importance. We report here the activity, spectroscopy and three-dimensional structure of a starch-active LPMO, a representative of the new CAZy AA13 family. We demonstrate that these enzymes generate aldonic acid-terminated malto-oligosaccharides from retrograded starch and boost significantly the conversion of this recalcitrant substrate to maltose by β-amylase. The detailed structure of the enzyme's active site yields insights into the mechanism of action of this important class of enzymes.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 25608804 · DOI · PMC4338556
Ferric carboxymaltose reduces transfusions and hospital stay in patients with colon cancer and anemia [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- PurposeThe purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) administration vs.
- Closing excerpt
- 9, p ConclusionsPreoperative ferric carboxymaltose treatment in patients with CC and iron deficiency anemia significantly reduced RBC transfusion requirements and hospital length of stay, reaching higher response rates and percentages of normalized hemoglobin levels both at hospital admission and 30 days post-surgery.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (159 words)
PurposeThe purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative intravenous (IV) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) administration vs. no-IV iron in colon cancer (CC) anemic patients undergoing elective surgery with curative intention.MethodsThis was a multicenter, observational study including two cohorts of consecutive CC anemic patients: the no-IV iron treatment group was obtained retrospectively while FCM-treated patients were recorded prospectively.ResultsA total of 266 patients were included: 111 received FCM (median dose 1000 mg) and 155 were no-IV iron subjects. Both groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics, tumor location, surgical approach, and intra-operative bleeding severity. The FCM group showed a significant lower need for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion during the study (9.9 vs. 38.7%; OR: 5.9, p ConclusionsPreoperative ferric carboxymaltose treatment in patients with CC and iron deficiency anemia significantly reduced RBC transfusion requirements and hospital length of stay, reaching higher response rates and percentages of normalized hemoglobin levels both at hospital admission and 30 days post-surgery.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26694926 · DOI · PMC4773500
Investigation of 6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose as a novel PET tracer for imaging bacterial infection [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- UnlabelledDespite advances in the field of nuclear medicine, the imaging of bacterial infections has remained a challenge.
- Closing excerpt
- We believe that this class of agents will have a significant impact on the clinical management of patients.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (145 words)
UnlabelledDespite advances in the field of nuclear medicine, the imaging of bacterial infections has remained a challenge. The existing reagents suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity. In this study we investigate the potential of a novel PET (positron emission tomography) tracer that overcomes these limitations.Methods6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose was synthesized. Its behavior in vitro was evaluated in bacterial and mammalian cultures. Detailed pharmacokinetic and biodistribution profiles for the tracer were obtained from a murine model.Results6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose is taken up by multiple strains of pathogenic bacteria. It is not taken up by mammalian cancer cell lines. 6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose is retained in infected muscles in a murine model of bacterial myositis. It does not accumulate in inflamed tissue.ConclusionWe have shown that 6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose can be used to image bacterial infection in vivo with high specificity. We believe that this class of agents will have a significant impact on the clinical management of patients.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 25243851 · DOI · PMC4171493
Ferric carboxymaltose for anemia in late pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Over 46% of African pregnant women are anemic.
- Closing excerpt
- Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial registration: ANZCTR12621001239853.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (202 words)
Over 46% of African pregnant women are anemic. Oral iron is recommended but often suboptimal, particularly late in pregnancy. Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) could treat anemia in women in the third trimester in sub-Saharan Africa. In an open-label, individually randomized trial in antenatal clinics in southern Malawi, we randomized 590 women at 27-35 weeks of gestation with capillary hemoglobin -1 to FCM (20 mg kg-1 up to 1,000 mg, once at enrollment) or standard of care (60 mg elemental iron, twice daily for 90 days). Participants and their infants were followed to 4 weeks postpartum. Primary outcomes were maternal anemia at 36 weeks' gestation or delivery (whichever occurred first) and neonatal birthweight. At the primary timepoint, 126 of 270 (46.7%) of women in the FCM group were anemic, compared to 170 of 271 (67.3%) women in the standard-of-care group (PR, 0.74 (95% CI 0.64, 0.87); P = 0.0002). There was no difference between groups in birthweight (mean difference 10.9 g (-65.7, 87.5 g); P = 0.78). No serious infusion-related reactions occurred, and there were no differences in adverse events between groups. In Malawian women in late pregnancy, FCM effectively and safely reduced anemia before childbirth. Australia New Zealand Clinical Trial registration: ANZCTR12621001239853.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39762420 · DOI · PMC11750709
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Maltose/maltodextrin system of Escherichia coli: transport, metabolism, and regulation [5]
- Research article Effects of ferric carboxymaltose on hospitalisations and mortality rates in iron-deficient heart failure patients: an individual patient data meta-analysis [6]
- Research article On the molecular characteristics, compositional properties, and structural-functional mechanisms of maltodextrins: a review [7]
- Research article Ferric carboxymaltose: a review of its use in iron-deficiency anaemia [8]
- Research article Maltose and lactose transport in Escherichia coli. Examples of two different types of concentrative transport systems [9]
- Research article The ABC maltose transporter [10]
References
- Lo Leggio L, Simmons TJ, Poulsen JC, Frandsen KE, Hemsworth GR, Stringer MA, et al.. Structure and boosting activity of a starch-degrading lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase. . 2015. PMID 25608804 · DOI · PMC4338556
- Calleja JL, Delgado S, del Val A, Hervás A, Larraona JL, Terán Á, et al.. Ferric carboxymaltose reduces transfusions and hospital stay in patients with colon cancer and anemia. . 2016. PMID 26694926 · DOI · PMC4773500
- Gowrishankar G, Namavari M, Jouannot EB, Hoehne A, Reeves R, Hardy J, et al.. Investigation of 6-[¹⁸F]-fluoromaltose as a novel PET tracer for imaging bacterial infection. . 2014. PMID 25243851 · DOI · PMC4171493
- Pasricha SR, Moya E, Ataíde R, Mzembe G, Harding R, Mwangi MN, et al.. Ferric carboxymaltose for anemia in late pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. . 2025. PMID 39762420 · DOI · PMC11750709
- Boos W, Shuman H. Maltose/maltodextrin system of Escherichia coli: transport, metabolism, and regulation. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 1998. PMID 9529892 · DOI · PMC98911
- Anker SD, Kirwan BA, van Veldhuisen DJ, Filippatos G, Comin-Colet J, Ruschitzka F, et al.. Effects of ferric carboxymaltose on hospitalisations and mortality rates in iron-deficient heart failure patients: an individual patient data meta-analysis. Eur J Heart Fail. 2018. PMID 28436136 · DOI
- Chronakis IS. On the molecular characteristics, compositional properties, and structural-functional mechanisms of maltodextrins: a review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 1998. PMID 9813736 · DOI
- Lyseng-Williamson KA, Keating GM. Ferric carboxymaltose: a review of its use in iron-deficiency anaemia. Drugs. 2009. PMID 19405553 · DOI
- Hengge R, Boos W. Maltose and lactose transport in Escherichia coli. Examples of two different types of concentrative transport systems. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1983. PMID 6349688 · DOI
- Ehrmann M, Ehrle R, Hofmann E, Boos W, Schlösser A. The ABC maltose transporter. Mol Microbiol. 1998. PMID 9723909 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.