Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by impaired liver function due to chronic alcohol consumption, even fatal in severe cases. We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether microbial agents have therapeutic potential for ALD and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
Forty-one studies were eligible for this meta-analysis after searching the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases. The combined analysis showed that microbial therapy significantly decreased hepatic enzymatic parameters, including alanine transaminase [standardized mean difference (SMD): –2.70, 95% confidence interval (CI): –3.33 to –2.07], aspartate aminotransferase (SMD: –3.37, 95% CI: –4.25 to –2.49), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (SMD: -2.07, 95% CI: –3.01 to –1.12), and alkaline phosphatase (SMD: –2.12, 95% CI: –3.32 to –0.92). Microbial agents endotoxin to enter the portal circulation and increasing reduced total cholesterol (SMD = -2.75, 95%CI -4.03 to -1.46) and triglycerides (SMD = –2.64, 95% CI: –3.22 to –2.06). Microbial agents increased amounts of the beneficial flora
Microbial agents can reverse dysbiosis in ALD, thus significantly interfering with lipid metabolism, relieving inflammatory response and inhibiting oxidative stress to improve liver function.