Relationship between the coronary artery calcium quantification and gut microbiota composition in subjects without previous cardiovascular disease: A pilot study

Aims

To investigate the relationship between gut microbiota composition and the presence of coronary atherosclerosis assessed by coronary artery calcium (CAC) quantification in individuals without previous cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods

We included 20 patients over 18 years of age with no history of CVD who underwent multiple detector-computed tomography (MDCT). From each patient, a stool sample was obtained to characterize gut microbiota composition by sequencing bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. In addition, circulating levels of TNF-α and IL-1β, as well as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) were determined in plasma samples by automated ELISA and capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively.

Results

The mean age of patients was 63.5 years and 60% were women. Half of patients had CAC > 100 (Agatston score), and were characterized by a higher abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria, mainly of bacteria belonging to the families Enterobacteriaceae, Pasteurellaceae, Erwiniaceae, Vibrionaceae and Morganellaceae, than patients with a CAC ≤ 100. Moreover, bacterial genera identified as biomarkers, such as Enterobacter, Escherichia/Shigella y Klebsiella, were positively associated with inflammation levels and with TMAO production.

Conclusions

Our data shows a gut microbiota profile associated with the presence of coronary calcium in patients without previous CVD. Although there are no strategies to decrease the amount of coronary calcium, gut microbiota is highly malleable by several factors. The possibility of preventing and even intervening CVD progression through strategies targeted gut microbiota is a very attractive idea that deserves further studies.