Effects of Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 on gut microbial imbalance and liver function in patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the subjects

Characteristic	Treat (n = 86)	Untreat (n = 74)	P value
Age (yr), median (IQR)	58 (51.25, 64.75)	60 (51, 70)	0.219
Sex, n (%)			0.176
Male	68 (79.07)	53 (71.62)
Female	18 (20.93)	21 (28.38)
TBIL (3.0-22.0 μmol/L)	29.26 (21.025, 43.095)	33.875 (26.168, 53.657)	0.117
Alb (35.0-50.0 g/L)	32.75 (25, 39.6)	30.745 (26.575, 34.825)	0.341
Cr (58-110 μmol/L)	64.5 (54.45, 75.325)	60.55 (51.35, 76.925)	0.498
WBC (3.5-9.5 × 109/L)	3.89 (2.728, 5.578)	3.88 (2.9075, 5.06)	0.855
PLT (125.0-350.0 × 1012/L)	78 (43.25, 110.25)	69 (48.25, 111.5)	0.943
PT (9.4-12.5 s)	16.15 (14.6, 18.125)	16.25 (14.625, 18.275)	0.986
INR (0.85-1.14)	1.345 (1.216, 1.518)	1.36 (1.193, 1.505)	0.907
CRP (< 10)	4.75 (1.74, 12.8)	4.995 (1.72, 9.403)	0.836

TBIL: Total bilirubin; Alb: Albumin; Cr: Creatinine; WBC: White blood cell; PLT: Platelet; PT: Prothrombin time; INR: International standard ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein.

Table 2 Changes in clinical indicators before and after treatment were compared between the intervention group and the nonintervention group

Characteristics	Treat		P value	Untreat		P value
	Before	After		Before	After
TBIL (μmol/L), median (IQR)	29.26 (21.025, 43.095)	27.515 (18.237, 44.22)	0.707	33.875 (26.168, 53.657)	33.3 (20.8, 57.315)	0.637
Alb (g/L), median (IQR)	32.75 (25, 39.6)	37.85 (31.635, 43.773)	0.007	30.745 (26.575, 34.825)	29.9 (26.775, 38.025)	0.625
Cr (μmol/L), median (IQR)	64.5 (54.45, 75.325)	0.85 (48.425, 69.325)	0.03	60.55 (51.35, 76.925)	61.9 (51.4, 82.125)	0.689
WBC (109/L), median (IQR)	3.89 (2.7275, 5.5775)	3.505 (2.383, 5.155)	0.321	3.88 (2.9075, 5.06)	4.115 (3, 5.493)	0.439
PLT (1012/L), median (IQR)	78 (43.25, 110.25)	71.5 (50.25, 123.25)	0.760	69 (48.25, 111.5)	69 (48.25, 103.75)	0.833
PT (s), median (IQR)	16.15 (14.6, 18.125)	15.05 (13.35, 16.6)	0.003	16.25 (14.625, 18.275)	15.95 (14, 17.75)	0.342
INR, median (IQR)	1.345 (1.216, 1.518)	1.29 (1.123, 1.408)	0.018	1.36 (1.193, 1.505)	1.315 (1.185, 1.448)	0.526
CRP, median (IQR)	4.75 (1.74, 12.8)	1.845 (0.775, 4.343)	0.005	4.995 (1.72, 9.403)	1.985 (2.035, 1.015)	0.822

TBIL: Total bilirubin; Alb: Albumin; Cr: Creatinine; WBC: White blood cell; PLT: Platelet; PT: Prothrombin time; INR: International standard ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein.

Table 3 Proportions of intestinal flora at the phylum and genus levels in all subjects in the intervention group before and after treatment

Phylum of bacteria (%)	GR	ZL	P value
Firmicutes	61.8	51.7	0.046
Bacteroidetes	25.2	35.5	0.008
Proteobacteria	10.5	5.6	0.468
Actinobacteria	1.7	4	0.057
Fusobacteria	0.3	0.8	0.494
Bacteroides	19.8	28.4	0.014
Faecalibacterium	22	17.8	0.803
Lachnospiraceae_Incertae_Sedis	4.8	5	0.001
Ruminococcaceae_uncultured	5.4	2.6	0.027
Escherichia-Shigella	5	1.8	0.348
Subdoligranulum	4.5	2.3	0.561
Prevotella	2.4	4.9	0.211
Veillonella	3	1.3	0.315
Bifidobacterium	1.6	3.9	0.039
Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified	2.6	0.7	0.629
Anaerostipes	1	0.6	0.007

GR: Before treatment with Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 (LP N1115); ZL: 3 months after treatment with LP N1115.

Table 4 Correlations between genus and Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification score before and after intervention

	GR		ZL
	r	P value	r	P value
Bacteroides	-0.436	0.013	-0.004	0.981
Lachnospiraceae_Incertae_Sedis	0.312	0.082	0.353	0.048
Veillonella	0.272	0.132	0.449	0.01
Streptococcus	0.143	0.433	0.354	0.047
Escherichia-Shigella	0.275	0.128	0.016	0.929
Prevotella	0.22	0.226	0.069	0.706
Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified	0.366	0.04	0.198	0.277
Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes	0.299	0.097	0.253	0.126

GR: Before treatment with Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 (LP N1115); ZL: 3 months after treatment with LP N1115.