ABSTRACT
Background: Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection occurs in about half of the world's population, and Hp eradication therapy is an important method for treating Hp infection-related diseases. Aims: To explore the major shifts in gut microbiota before and after Hp eradication by using bismuth-containing quadruple therapy. Methods: Fifty Hp-positive patients in whom the Hp was successfully eradicated by bismuth-containing quadruple therapy from January 2016 to January 2017 at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen were enrolled. Using genus-specific primers and genomic DNA extracted from the fecal samples collected before and within 3 days after eradication therapy, a quantitative analysis of the major shifts in gut microbiota was accomplished by real-time PCR. Results: Compared with those before Hp eradication, fecal Enterobacterium and Enterococcus were significantly increased and Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Clostridium and total bacteria were significantly decreased after Hp eradication (P0.05). Conclusions: Eradication of Hp infection by bismuth-containing quadruple therapy may cause changes in gut microbiota composition and resulting in dysbiosis.
ABSTRACT
Background: The incidence of liver cirrhosis is increasing year by year in China. Decompensated liver cirrhosis and its related complications seriously threaten people's health. Aims: To investigate the changes of gut flora in cirrhotic patients and its correlation with the severity and prognosis of the disease. Methods: One hundred patients with liver cirrhosis admitted from Dec. 2010 to Jul. 2011 at the Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University were enrolled. Fifty healthy subjects were served as controls. Using genus-specific primers and genomic DNA extracted from the fecal samples, a quantitative analysis of the gut flora was conducted by real-time PCR. Relationships between the changes of gut flora and grade of liver function, prognostic score, inflammatory indicator and complications of cirrhosis were analyzed. Results: Compared with healthy subjects, fecal Enterobacterium was significantly enriched, while fecal Lactobacillus, Bacteroides and Clostridium were significantly reduced in cirrhotic patients (all P<0.05). Enterobacterium was positively correlated with the grade of liver function, Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, C-reactive protein (CRP), and the occurrence of spontaneous peritonitis, respectively (all P<0.05), while Clostridium was negatively correlated with the above mentioned indices (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Gut flora dysbiosis, including increase in Enterobacterium and decrease in Clostridium, is correlated with the severity and prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis. It may aggravate liver cirrhosis by promoting an inflammatory response.
ABSTRACT
Sixty cases of acute lumbar sprain were treated by puncturing Yintang(Ex-HN 3) toward Shenting(GV 24), among which, 50 cases were cured, 9 were improved and only one failed, and the total effective rate was 98.3%.