Kvasnovsky CL, et al. - This pilot study was conducted to investigate whether clinical and symptom scores were significantly correlated with fecal microbiota features in patients with the symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease. In symptomatic diverticular disease, patient symptoms were significantly correlated with features of the fecal microbiota. The findings revealed the potential utility of therapies that targeted intestinal microbiology, such as dietary prebiotic supplements.

Methods

• The researchers characterized fecal microbiota composition in 28 individuals with the symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease by 16S RNA gene amplicon sequencing.
• Microbiota composition was associated with clinical history, symptom and inflammation measures, and demographic variables.

Results

• The researchers found association of previous acute diverticulitis with higher relative abundance of Pseudobutyrivibrio, Bifidobacterium, Christensenellaceae family, and Mollicutes RF9 order (P=0.004, 0.006, 0.010, and 0.019, respectively).
• However, no correlation was found with microbiota alpha or beta diversity.
• A higher bloating severity score was significantly associated with a higher relative abundance of Ruminococcus (P=0.032), and significantly inversely correlated with the relative abundance of the Roseburia (P=0.002).
• In this study, fecal calprotectin levels displayed positive correlation with alpha diversity (Shannon index, P=0.005) and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus (P=0.004).
• A positive association was observed between pain score with the relative abundance of Cyanobacterium (adjusted P=0.032).