Gut Microbiota Changes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Concomitant Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) bears serious economic consequences for the health care system worldwide and Ukraine, in particular. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main cause of mortality in NAFLD patients. Changes in the gut microbiota composition can be regarded as a potential mechanism of CVD in NAFLD patients. The purpose of this work was to investigate changes in major gut microbiota phylotypes, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria with quantification of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in NAFLD patients with concomitant CVD. The author enrolled 120 NAFLD subjects (25 with concomitant arterial hypertension (AH) and 24 with coronary artery disease (CAD)). The gut microbiota composition was assessed by qPCR. Resultsthe author found a marked tendency towards an increase in the concentration of Bacteroidetes (by 37.11% and 21.30%, respectively) with a decrease in Firmicutes (by 7.38% and 7.77%, respectively) in both groups with comorbid CAD and AH with the identified changes not reaching a statistical significance. The author quantified a statistically significant decrease in the concentration of Actinobacteria in patients with NAFLD with concomitant CAD at 41.37% (p<0.05) as compared with those with an isolated NAFLD. In patients with concomitant AH, the content of Actinobacteria dropped by 12.35%, which was statistically insignificant. Conclusionsthe author established changes in the intestinal microbiota, namely decrease in Actinobacteria in patients with CAD, which requires further research.