Davoutis E, Gkiafi Z, Lykoudis PM. Bringing gut microbiota into the spotlight of clinical research and medical practice. World J Clin Cases 2024; 12(14): 2293-2300 [PMID: 38765739 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i14.2293]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Panagis M Lykoudis, MD, MSc, PhD, Lecturer, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. p.lykoudis@ucl.ac.uk
Research Domain of This Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. May 16, 2024; 12(14): 2293-2300 Published online May 16, 2024. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i14.2293
Bringing gut microbiota into the spotlight of clinical research and medical practice
Efstathia Davoutis, Zoi Gkiafi, Panagis M Lykoudis
Efstathia Davoutis, Zoi Gkiafi, Panagis M Lykoudis, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
Panagis M Lykoudis, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Lykoudis PM designed the study and revised the draft of the manuscript; Davoutis E and Gkiafi Z performed the research and wrote the draft of the manuscript. All authors have read and approve the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the Authors have no conflict of interest related to the manuscript.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Panagis M Lykoudis, MD, MSc, PhD, Lecturer, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom. p.lykoudis@ucl.ac.uk
Received: December 27, 2023 Revised: January 30, 2024 Accepted: April 7, 2024 Published online: May 16, 2024 Processing time: 129 Days and 17.6 Hours
Abstract
Despite the increasing scientific interest and expanding role of gut microbiota (GM) in human health, it is rarely reported in case reports and deployed in clinical practice. Proteins and metabolites produced by microbiota contribute to immune system development, energy homeostasis and digestion. Exo- and endogenous factors can alter its composition. Disturbance of microbiota, also known as dysbiosis, is associated with various pathological conditions. Specific bacterial taxa and related metabolites are involved in disease pathogenesis and therefore can serve as a diagnostic tool. GM could also be a useful prognostic factor by predicting future disease onset and preventing hospital-associated infections. Additionally, it can influence response to treatments, including those for cancers, by altering drug bioavailability. A thorough understanding of its function has permitted significant development in therapeutics, such as probiotics and fecal transplantation. Hence, GM should be considered as a ground-breaking biological parameter, and it is advisable to be investigated and reported in literature in a more consistent and systematic way.
Core Tip: Gut microbiota (GM) serves as a multifaceted tool in healthcare, acting as a potential biomarker, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic entity. While dysbiosis is linked to various diseases, harnessing microbiome's diagnostic potential introduces challenges due to its variability and complex identification techniques. As a prognostic tool, GM provides insights into an individual's health status and disease risks, influencing treatment outcomes. Moreover, it emerges as a therapeutic pathway, with interventions such as prebiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation showing promise. Despite growing recognition, its integration into clinical practice remains limited, necessitating increased research, educational initiatives, and collaborations, to unlock the full potential of GM in advancing patient care.
