Why the study?
Heart failure remains a major global health challenge, and emerging evidence highlights the role of the gut microbiome in its pathogenesis and progression.
Meta-Analysis (n=10,246)
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Heart failure is associated with significant gut dysbiosis, characterized by a depletion of beneficial short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria and an increase in pathogenic taxa, leading to elevated levels of harmful metabolites like TMAO.
Heart failure remains a major global health challenge. Emerging evidence highlights the gut microbiome’s role in its pathogenesis and progression. This systematic review analyzed 32 studies involving 5825 patients to evaluate gut microbiota alterations and microbial metabolites in heart failure. Findings on alpha diversity were inconsistent, but beta diversity showed more agreement. A common pattern included depletion of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)–producing bacteria and enrichment of pathogenic taxa such as Escherichia and Shigella . Heart failure patients also exhibited elevated levels of harmful metabolites like trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and phenylacetylglutamine. The dysbiotic profile was marked by increased Proteobacteria and decreased Firmicutes , linked to reduced cardioprotective metabolite production and heightened inflammation. These shifts may worsen heart failure prognosis and contribute to systemic inflammation. The results support the potential of microbiome-targeted therapies, such as probiotics, as adjunctive strategies in heart failure management.
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Yassine et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Heart failure (n=10,246). Heart failure vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Circulating TMAO levels (SMD 1.72, 95% CI 0.62-2.83, p=0.002).
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