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Differences in Gut Microbiota Composition Depending on the Site of Pain in Patients with Chronic Pain

Yukiko Shiro1,2, Young-Chang Arai1, Yuichiro Nakaso1

  • 1Department of Pain Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan.

Journal of Pain Research
|February 24, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Chronic pain patients exhibit altered gut microbiota (GM) composition. Specific pain sites like whole body and lower back/lower extremity pain show distinct GM differences compared to healthy individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research
  • Chronic pain pathophysiology
  • Human health and disease

Background:

  • Chronic pain involves complex factors affecting nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
  • Gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis is increasingly linked to chronic pain conditions.
  • The precise relationship between pain and GM composition requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between chronic pain site and fecal gut microbiota composition.
  • To identify specific microbial differences in patients with localized versus widespread pain.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of gut microbiota in 136 chronic pain patients and 125 healthy controls.
  • Classification of pain patients into whole body (WB), lower back/lower extremity (LL), headache, and upper back/upper extremity pain groups.
  • Analysis of fecal microbial taxonomy groups and alpha diversity.

Main Results:

  • Chronic pain patients demonstrated significantly lower alpha diversity compared to controls (p=0.02).
  • Whole body pain patients exhibited higher Eggerthellaceae and lower Halomonas abundance.
  • Lower back/lower extremity pain patients showed increased Fusobacterium and Sellimonas, with reduced Halomonas.

Conclusions:

  • Chronic pain patients, particularly those with whole body or lower back/lower extremity pain, may possess distinct gut microbiota profiles.
  • Further large-scale studies are necessary to validate these findings and confirm the GM-pain site associations.
Keywords:
chronic paingut microbiotalow back painwhole body pain

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