Gut microbiome diversity, genus-level variation, and associations with clinical features in critically ill patients

The study examined the gut microbiome in 103 critically ill patients, of which 68 had sepsis and 35 did not, using 16S rRNA genetic sequencing. Differences in microbial diversity were identified between groups. In sepsis patients, lower values of Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou evenness indices were found (all q = 0.025), while species richness did not differ. The study identified four genera with different abundance: higher LactococcusA and lower Ezakiella, Fenollaria, and PeptoniphilusB in sepsis. Longitudinal analyses revealed time-dependent interactions between Fenollaria and CRP marker, as well as between PeptoniphilusB and PCT and CRP markers. However, the authors emphasize that these findings are exploratory and require validation in independent patient cohorts.