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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Apr 4;7(4):e0072.
doi: 10.1097/HC9.0000000000000072. eCollection 2023 Apr 1.

A multistrain probiotic increases the serum glutamine/glutamate ratio in patients with cirrhosis: a metabolomic analysis

Luca Laghi  1 , Eva Román  2   3   4 , Qiuyu Lan  1 , Juan Camilo Nieto  5 , Aleix Canalda-Baltrons  6 , Maria Poca  2   4 , Maria B Sánchez-Rodríguez  7 , Joan Clària  4   7   8 , Edilmar Alvarado  2   4 , Berta Cuyàs  2 , Elisabet Sánchez  4 , Sílvia Vidal  5   9 , Carlos Guarner  2   4 , Àngels Escorsell  2 , Chaysavanh Manichanh  4   6 , German Soriano  2   4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A multistrain probiotic increases the serum glutamine/glutamate ratio in patients with cirrhosis: a metabolomic analysis

Luca Laghi et al. Hepatol Commun. .

Abstract

To explore the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of a probiotic in cirrhotic patients, we analyzed the blood metabolome using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy in 32 patients with cirrhosis and cognitive dysfunction or falls. Patients were randomized to receive a multistrain probiotic or placebo for 12 weeks. Among the 54 metabolites identified, the only significant changes in the probiotic group were an increase in glutamine, a decrease in glutamate, and an increase in the glutamine/glutamate ratio. In the placebo group, glutamate increased and the glutamine/glutamate ratio decreased. Our results suggest the multistrain probiotic could influence glutamine/glutamate metabolism, increasing the capacity of ammonia detoxification.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts to report.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A) Volcano plots showing the change between baseline and 12 weeks in all metabolites identified in the probiotic group and in the placebo group. (B) Changes in glutamine/glutamate ratio in patients treated with the probiotic and patients treated with placebo. Results are expressed as mean (SD). Abbreviation: FDR, false discovery rate.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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