The Apparent Asymmetrical Relationship Between Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth, Endotoxemia, and Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis in Cirrhotic and Non-Cirrhotic Patients: A Single-Center Pilot Study

E Scarpellini; L Abenavoli; V Cassano; E Rinninella; M Sorge; F Capretti; C Rasetti; G Svegliati Baroni; F Luzza; P Santori; A Sciacqua

doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.872428

The Apparent Asymmetrical Relationship Between Small Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth, Endotoxemia, and Liver Steatosis and Fibrosis in Cirrhotic and Non-Cirrhotic Patients: A Single-Center Pilot Study

Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Apr 26:9:872428. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.872428. eCollection 2022.

Authors

E Scarpellini^{1

2}, L Abenavoli³, V Cassano⁴, E Rinninella^{5

6}, M Sorge⁷, F Capretti⁷, C Rasetti¹, G Svegliati Baroni⁸, F Luzza³, P Santori¹, A Sciacqua⁴

Affiliations

¹ Hepatology and Internal Medicine Unit, "Madonna del Soccorso" General Hospital, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
² T.A.R.G.I.D., Gasthuisberg University Hospital, KULeuven, Lueven, Belgium.
³ Department of Health Sciences, University "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, Italy.
⁴ Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University "Magna Græcia", Catanzaro, Italy.
⁵ Clinical Nutrition Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁶ Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
⁷ Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit "Madonna del Soccorso" General Hospital, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
⁸ Gastroenterology Clinic, "Riuniti University Hospital", Polytechnics University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.

Abstract

Introduction: Gut microbiota are a complex ecosystem harboring our intestine. They maintain human body equilibrium, while their derangement, namely, "dysbiosis", has been associated with several gastrointestinal diseases, such as liver steatosis (NAFLD) and liver cirrhosis. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is an example of dysbiosis of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between SIBO and levels of endotoxemia and grade of liver steatosis (LS) and liver fibrosis (LF) in hepatologic patients.

Materials and methods: Consecutive outpatients referred to our hepatology clinic were tested for SIBO by the lactulose breath test (LBT) and peripheral blood levels of endotoxemia; LS grading and LF were assessed by abdominal ultrasound and transient elastography, respectively.

Results: Fifty-two consecutive patients (17 with alcohol abuse (4.5 ± 0.8 alcohol units per day), 4 with HCV and 2 with HBV infection, 24 of metabolic origin, 2 of autoimmune origin, and 3 with cholangiopathies; mean age 54.7 ± 8.3 years, 31 F, BMI 24.1 ± 1.1 Kg/m²) and 14 healthy volunteers (HV) (mean age 50.1 ± 4.3 years, 9 F, BMI 23.3 ± 1.1 Kg/m²) were enrolled. SIBO prevalence was significantly higher in cirrhotic (LC) vs. non-cirrhotic (LNC) patients and vs. HV (all, p < 0.05), with a significant positive trend according to Child-Pugh status (all, p < 0.05). SIBO prevalence was not correlated with LS stages (all, p = NS). Consensually, endotoxin levels were significantly higher in LC vs. LNC and vs. HV (all, p < 0.05) and significantly correlated with LF in patients with LC, according to Child-Pugh status (all, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study shows that SIBO prevalence and relative endotoxin blood levels seem to be significantly associated with the grade of LF vs. LS in LC. SIBO is also present under pre-cirrhotic conditions, but its prevalence seems to correlate with liver disease irreversible derangement.

Keywords: dysbiosis; fibrosis; gut microbiota; liver steatosis; small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.