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The development of intestinal dysbiosis in anemic preterm infants

Thao T B Ho1,2, Ambuj Kumar3, Adetola F Louis-Jacques3,4

  • 1College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33606, USA. tho1@usf.edu.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|January 30, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Anemia in premature infants is linked to gut bacteria imbalances. Lower hematocrit levels correlate with increased Proteobacteria and decreased Firmicutes, suggesting anemia may drive intestinal dysbiosis.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal research
  • Microbiome studies
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Anemia and Proteobacteria-dominant intestinal dysbiosis are associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
  • The relationship between anemia of prematurity and intestinal dysbiosis requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the hypothesis that anemia of prematurity is related to the development of intestinal dysbiosis in VLBW infants.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective collection of 342 weekly stool samples from 80 VLBW infants.
  • Analysis of bacterial microbiomes using 16S rRNA sequencing.
  • Application of a linear mixed-effects model to assess relationships between anemia onset and intestinal dysbiosis.

Main Results:

  • Hematocrit levels showed a significant association with intestinal microbiomes.
  • Lower hematocrit correlated with increased Proteobacteria and decreased Firmicutes.
  • Infants with hematocrit <30% exhibited a shift towards Proteobacteria dominance and reduced microbial diversity after the first postnatal month, with changes related to anemia severity.

Conclusions:

  • Findings support a potential microbiological explanation for anemia as a risk factor for intestinal dysbiosis in preterm infants.
  • Anemia may play a causal role in the development of gut dysbiosis in VLBW infants.
Abstract

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