Introduction: The human gastrointestinal tract is home to a vast array of microorganisms, and the imbalance of these microorganisms is closely linked to various diseases. The composition of gut microbiota in individuals is influenced by many factors, among which gender differences are often overlooked and lack targeted treatment plans in clinical practice. Based on this, we conducted this study aimed at exploring the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal inflammation and the importance of gender specificity, providing new ideas and targets for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal inflammation stratified by gender. Methods: We collected fecal samples from 89 patients with gastrointestinal inflammation (40 males and 49 females) for DNA extraction, DNA library construction, sequencing, and clinical data analysis. Results: In laboratory indicators, male patients had significantly lower mean LDH levels than females (P < 0.05), whereas median GGT, HB, M, and E values were significantly higher (P < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences in microbial α diversity at the species level were observed between the two groups (all P < 0.05). In the prediction analysis of microbial population function, the mean values of heterologous biodegradation and metabolism, signal transduction, cell activity, metabolism of other amino acids, and bacterial infectious disease pathways in the female patient group were higher than those in the male patient group (all P<0.05), and the mean values of nucleotide metabolism, replication and repair, and transcription and translation were lower than those in the male patient group (all P<0.05). Discussion: Gender differences affect gastrointestinal inflammation progression, with male and female patients showing distinct gut microbiota and laboratory indicators. Males have lower LDH but higher GGT, HB, M, and E, linked to hormonal effects. The gut microbiome composition differs by gender, with males having a higher prevalence of Prevotella and altered metabolic pathways. Females show higher activity in xenobiotic degradation and infection-related functions. Diet, exercise, and clinical interventions, such as FMT, can modulate the microbiota, but gender-specific responses exist. Conclusion: Analysis revealed significant sex-based differences in gastrointestinal disease patients, including variations in laboratory indicators (LDH, GGT, HB, M, E), gut microbiome composition and diversity, and predicted microbial functional profiles. This provides insights for precise medical treatment of gastrointestinal inflammation stratified by gender.
Chen et al. (Mon,) studied this question.