Plain language summary
Spinal stenosis, a multifactorial disease, is characterised by the narrowing of the spinal canal, which may occur from exogenous factors like trauma, infections, and tumours, as well as endogenous factors like natural degeneration. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between gut microbiota and spinal stenosis using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data from large databases. This study was based on two-sample mendelian randomisation studies from genome-wide association studies of gut microbiota and spinal stenosis. Results showed that two gut microbial taxa, the genus Eubacterium fissicatena group and the genus Oxalobacter, may have a causal relationship with spinal stenosis. The analysis showed no significant heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy, and the “leave-one-out” sensitivity analysis confirmed the reliability of the causality findings. However, the reverse mendelian randomisation analysis did not support a causal relationship between spinal stenosis and gut microbiota. Authors concluded there is a possible causal relationship between certain gut microbiota and spinal stenosis. Thus, they suggest that further research focused on the mechanism of gut microbiota-mediated spinal stenosis could provide insights for targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Considerable evidence has unveiled a potential correlation between gut microbiota and spinal degenerative diseases. However, only limited studies have reported the direct association between gut microbiota and spinal stenosis. Hence, in this study, we aimed to clarify this relationship using a two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data for two-sample MR studies was collected and summarized from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of gut microbiota (MiBioGen, n = 13, 266) and spinal stenosis (FinnGen Biobank, 9, 169 cases and 164, 682 controls). The inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis (IVW), complemented with weighted median, MR-Egger, weighted mode, and simple mode, was used to elucidate the causality between gut microbiota and spinal stenosis. In addition, we employed mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) and the MR-Egger intercept test to assess horizontal multiplicity. Cochran's Q test to evaluate heterogeneity, and "leave-one-out" sensitivity analysis to determine the reliability of causality. Finally, an inverse MR analysis was performed to assess the reverse causality. RESULTS The IVW results indicated that two gut microbial taxa, the genus Eubacterium fissicatena group and the genus Oxalobacter, have a potential causal relationship with spinal stenosis. Moreover, eight potential associations between genetic liability of the gut microbiota and spinal stenosis were implied. No significant heterogeneity of instrumental variables or horizontal pleiotropy were detected. In addition, "leave-one-out" sensitivity analysis confirmed the reliability of causality. Finally, the reverse MR analysis revealed that no proof to substantiate the discernible causative relationship between spinal stenosis and gut microbiota. CONCLUSION This analysis demonstrated a possible causal relationship between certain particular gut microbiota and the occurrence of spinal stenosis. Further studies focused on the mechanism of gut microbiota-mediated spinal stenosis can lay the groundwork for targeted prevention, monitoring, and treatment of spinal stenosis.
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