Alterations in the intestinal microbiota of patients with severe and active Graves' orbitopathy: a cross-sectional studyOriginal paper
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease, four years before the first published case study.
Read MoreWhat was studied?
Researchers compared the fecal microbiota of 33 patients with severe and active Graves' orbitopathy (GO) to 32 healthy controls, all of Han nationality, enrolled between March 2017 and March 2018.
How was it studied?
This was a cross-sectional, single-center study. Gut microbial communities in fecal samples were profiled and compared using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
What did they find?
Community diversity, measured by Simpson and Shannon indices, was significantly lower in GO patients than controls. PCoA showed the two groups' microbiota compositions differed significantly. At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes proportion was significantly increased in GO patients, and significant differences were also seen at the genus and species levels.
Why it matters
The authors say these distinctive gut microbiota features in GO support further exploration of the microbiome for diagnosing and treating GO by modifying the microbiota profile. They note the findings are limited by the single-center design and small fecal sample size.