The Gut Microbiota Profile in Heart Failure Patients: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Cardiology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Traditional cardiovascular risk factors are known predictors of heart failure (HF).
• The gut-heart axis suggests interactions between the gut microbiome and cardiovascular system, potentially inducing inflammation and contributing to HF.
• This review investigates the interconnection between the gut microbiome and HF.

Approach:

• A systematic review of peer-reviewed human studies comparing gut microbiota in adult HF patients and healthy controls (HCs).
• Searches were conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library up to April 18, 2022.
• Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

Key Points:

• Nine studies involving 317 HF patients and 510 HCs were analyzed.
• HF patients exhibited decreased gut microbiota richness and altered composition (beta diversity) compared to HCs.
• Specific bacterial phyla, genera, and species were found to be significantly more or less abundant in HF patients.

Conclusions:

• Gut microbiota diversity, richness, and composition significantly differ between HF patients and the healthy population.
• Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing gut bacteria were depleted in HF patients.
• Underlying comorbidities, environment, lifestyle, and diet can influence gut microbiota heterogeneity in HF.