Gut microbiota dysbiosis in male patients with chronic traumatic complete spinal cord injury

J Transl Med, 2018 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-018-1735-9 · Published: December 6, 2018

Spinal Cord Injury Genetics Gastroenterology

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the gut bacteria of men with spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can cause bowel problems. This study looks at how the gut bacteria is different in men with spinal cord injuries compared to healthy men. The researchers collected stool samples from 43 men with spinal cord injuries and 23 healthy men. They analyzed the types of bacteria present in the samples. The study found that men with spinal cord injuries had less diversity in their gut bacteria. Certain types of bacteria were also more or less common in the spinal cord injury group.

Study Duration

March 2017 to October 2017

Participants

43 male patients with chronic traumatic complete SCI and 23 healthy male adults

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The diversity of the gut microbiota in the SCI group was reduced.
2
The abundance of Veillonellaceae and Prevotellaceae increased, while Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides decreased in the SCI group.
3
Microbial community structure was significantly associated with serum biomarkers (GLU, HDL, CR, and CRP), NBD defecation time, and COURSE.

Research Summary

This study presents a comprehensive landscape of the gut microbiota in adult male patients with traumatic complete SCI and documents their neurogenic bowel management. We found a difference in faecal flora between healthy adult males and male patients with SCI. Moreover, the dysbiosis of patients with SCI was correlated with serum biomarkers and NBD symptoms.

Practical Implications

Potential Therapeutic Target

The gut microbiota may be a potential target to help improve NBD symptoms.

Personalized Interventions

Understanding the specific gut microbiota changes associated with SCI could lead to personalized interventions to restore healthy gut bacterial composition.

Further Research

The study highlights the need for further research, including animal experiments and longitudinal human studies, to determine the cause-effect relationship between the gut microbiota and SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The inclusion of only male patients with complete SCI excluded probable confounding effects of gender and residual nerves on gut functions; therefore, other incomplete injuries were not included in this study.
2
Individual diet-associated flora differences could not be determined and remain a major weakness of this study.
3
Future studies should include female patients to identify gender disparities.

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