Exploration of the correlation between intestinal flora and Escherichia coli peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis

Background Escherichia coli peritonitis (EP) is a serious complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Gut microbiota alterations occur in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The relationship between the gut microbiota and PD-related peritonitis is still poorly understood. It is unclear whether the intestinal flora is involved in the pathogenesis of EP. Methods We collected fecal samples from EP patients and normal group (NG) PD patients. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze the gut microbiota of EP and NG patients. The demographic data and clinical indicators of all patients were collected. Results Six EP patients and 28 NG patients were recruited for this study. The analysis of fecal community diversity with 16S rDNA sequencing showed an obvious change in the microbial structure of EP patients, where Bacteroidetes and Synergistetes were upregulated at different levels, while Bacilli and Lactobacillus were downregulated at different levels compared to the NG group. Additionally, decreased gene function associated with metabolic pathways was observed in EP patients. Conclusions The altered composition of the gut microbiota in EP patients provided deeper insights into the pathogenesis of EP, and these biomarkers might be established as potential therapeutic targets that deserve further exploration.

Automated summary

This study investigated the composition of gut microbiota in EP patients and found that the altered gut microbiota might be related to the pathogenesis of EP. Specifically, Bacteroidetes and Synergistetes were upregulated, while Bacilli and Lactobacillus were downregulated in EP patients. Moreover, decreased gene function associated with metabolic pathways was observed in EP patients.