The following is a summary of “Causal relationship between gut microbiota and constipation: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study,” published in the August 2024 issue of Gastroenterology by He et al.
Constipation is a prevalent gastrointestinal condition linked to gut microbiota dysfunctions, although the causal relationship remains uncertain.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study determining the causal relationship between gut microbiota and constipation using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR).
They used gut microbiota summary Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) statistics from the MiBioGen consortium (n = 13,266) and constipation GWAS summary statistics from the IEU OpenGWAS database. The causality between gut microbiota and constipation was analyzed primarily with the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method and supported with four additional methods: MR-Egger, Weighted Median, Simple Mode, and Weighted Mode. The reliability of MR results was assessed using a funnel plot, heterogeneity test, horizontal pleiotropy test, and leave-one-out test.
The results showed that IVW estimates indicated that the bacterial species Anaerotruncus, Butyricimonas, and Hungatella were causally linked to constipation. The OR for Anaerotruncus, Butyricimonas, and Hungatella were 1.08 (95% CI = 1.02–1.13; P=0.007), 1.07 (95% CI = 1.01–1.13; P=0.015), and 1.03 (95% CI = 1.00–1.06; P=0.037), respectively. In contrast, Ruminiclostridium 9 and Intestinibacter were associated with a lower risk of constipation, with ORs of 0.75 (95% CI = 0.73–0.78; P<0.001) and 0.89 (95% CI = 0.86–0.93; P<0.001). Additionally, validation through funnel plot, heterogeneity test, and horizontal pleiotropy test confirmed the reliability of the MR results.
Investigators provided novel insights into the causal relationship between specific gut microbiota taxa and constipation, potentially informing future prevention and treatment strategies.
Source: bmcgastroenterol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12876-024-03306-8
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