AUTHOR=Dekker Nitert Marloes , Mousa Aya , Barrett Helen L., Naderpoor Negar , De Courten Barbora 

TITLE=Altered Gut Microbiota Composition Is Associated With Back Pain in Overweight and Obese Individuals

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.00605

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2020.00605

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is associated with obesity and chronic low-grade inflammation. Alterations in intestinal microbiota may contribute to the pathogenesis of back pain through metabolites affecting immune and inflammatory responses.</p><p><bold>Aims and Methods:</bold> We compared the gut microbiota composition in a cohort of 36 overweight or obese individuals with or without self-reported back pain in the preceding month. Participants were characterized for anthropometry; bone health; metabolic health; inflammation; dietary intake; and physical activity.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Demographic, clinical, biochemical characteristics, diet and physical activity were similar between participants with (<italic>n</italic> = 14) or without (<italic>n</italic> = 22) back pain. Individuals with back pain had a higher abundance of the genera <italic>Adlercreutzia</italic> (<italic>p</italic> = 0.0008; FDR = 0.027)<italic>, Roseburia</italic> (<italic>p</italic> = 0.0098; FDR = 0.17), and <italic>Uncl. Christensenellaceae</italic> (<italic>p</italic> = 0.02; FDR = 0.27) than those without back pain. <italic>Adlercreutzia</italic> abundance remained higher in individuals with back pain in the past 2 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. <italic>Adlercreutzia</italic> was positively correlated with BMI (rho = 0.35, <italic>p</italic> = 0.03), serum adipsin (rho = 0.33, <italic>p</italic> = 0.047), and serum leptin (rho = 0.38, <italic>p</italic> = 0.02).</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Our findings suggest that back pain is associated with altered gut microbiota composition, possibly through increased inflammation. Further studies delineating the underlying mechanisms may identify strategies for lowering <italic>Adlercreutzia</italic> abundance to treat back pain.</p>