Effectiveness of oral probiotics supplementation in the treatment of adult small chalazion

Causal effects of gut microbiota on chalazion: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Purpose

To investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and chalazion through Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

GM-related genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were obtained from the International Consortium MiBioGen. Genetic data for chalazion were sourced from the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) Open GWAS database. Five MR methods, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), were employed to estimate causal relationships. Cochran's Q test was used to detect heterogeneity, the MR-Egger intercept test and MR-PRESSO regression were utilized to detect horizontal pleiotropy, and the leave-one-out method was employed to validate data stability.

Results

We identified 1,509 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 119 genera as instrumental variables (IVs) (p < 1 × 10-5). According to the inverse variance weighted (IVW) estimate, the Family XIII AD3011 group (OR = 1.0018, 95% CI 1.0002-1.0035, p = 0.030) and Catenibacterium (OR = 1.0013, 95% CI 1.0002-1.0025, p = 0.022) were potentially associated with increased risk of chalazion. Conversely, Veillonella (OR = 0.9986, 95% CI 0.9974-0.9999, p = 0.036) appeared to provide protection against chalazion. There was no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy.

Conclusion

This study uncovered the causal relationship between GM and chalazion, pinpointing Catenibacterium and Family XIII AD3011 group as potential risk contributors, while highlighting Veillonella as a protective factor. In-depth investigation into the potential mechanisms of specific bacteria in chalazion was essential for providing novel therapeutic and preventive strategies in the future.

Probiotics for managing patients after bowel preparation for colonoscopy: an interventional, double-arm, open, randomized, multi-center, and national study (COLONSTUDY)

BACKGROUND

Bowel preparation (BP) for colonoscopy induces significant changes in gut microbiota, causing dysbiosis that, in turn, elicits intestinal symptoms. Consequently, probiotics may counterbalance the disturbed microbiota after BP. So, probiotics may restore microbiota homeostasis.

METHODS

The current study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Abincol®, an oral nutraceutical containing a probiotic mixture with Lactobacillus plantarum LP01 (1 billion living cells), Lactobacillus lactis subspecies cremoris LLC02 (800 millions living cells), and Lactobacillus delbrueckii LDD01 (200 millions living cells), Patients were randomized in two groups (2:1). Group A took one stick/daily for four weeks after colonoscopy. Group B was considered as control. Patients were evaluated at baseline (T0) and after one (T1), two (T2), and four (T3) weeks. The severity of symptoms was measured by patients using a Visual Analog Scale.

RESULTS

Abincol® significantly diminished the presence and the severity of intestinal symptoms at T2 and even more at T3. All patients well tolerated the probiotic mixture.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that Abincol® may be considered an effective and safe therapeutic option in managing patients undergoing BP. The course should last one month.

Chalazion Treatment: A Concise Review of Clinical Trials

A chalazion is one of the most common eye conditions presenting as a mass lesion of the eyelids. It is seen in all age groups. Chalazion is a non-inflammatory process and develops due to retained secretion of the meibomian or Zeis glands. Treatment of choice differs among clinicians and may include application of warm compress onto eyelids, lid hygiene, using local antibiotic ointment with or without steroids, injecting steroid solution (triamcinolone acetonide) into the lesion and surgical removal of the lesion by incision and curettage. In addition, there are some other experimented methods such as injection of botulinum toxin A, tarsal trephination, removal of chalazion by application of CO2 laser or cryogenic action. However, there is currently no commonly agreed treatment of choice. In this review, we aimed to summarize findings from clinical trials and hopefully, identify a treatment of choice in chalazion.

Ocular surface microbiota in patients with varying degrees of dry eye severity

AIM

To elucidate the profiles of commensal bacteria on the ocular surfaces of patients with varying severity of dry eye (DE).

METHODS

The single-center, prospective, case-control, observational study categorized all participants into three distinct groups: 1) control group (n=61), 2) mild DE group (n=56), and 3) moderate-to-severe DE group (n=82). Schirmer's tear secretion strips were used, and the bacterial microbiota was analyzed using 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene sequencing.

RESULTS

The three groups had significant differences in alpha diversity: the control group had the highest richness (Chao1, Faith's phylogenetic diversity), the mild DE group showed the highest diversity (Shannon, Simpson), and the moderate-to-severe DE group had the lowest of the above-mentioned indices. DE severity was positively correlated with a reduction in beta diversity of the microbial community, with the moderate-to-severe DE group exhibiting the lowest beta diversity. Linear discriminant analysis effect size presented distinct dominant taxa that significantly differed between each. Furthermore, the exacerbation of DE corresponded with the enrichment of certain pathogenic bacteria, as determined by random forest analysis.

CONCLUSION

As DE severity worsens, microbial community diversity tends to decrease. DE development corresponds with changes in microbial constituents, primarily characterized by reduced microbial diversity and a more homogenous species composition.

Clinical trials targeting the gut-microbiome to effect ocular health: a systematic review

Clinical trials targeting the gut microbiome to mitigate ocular disease are now on the horizon. A review of clinical data thus far is essential to determine future directions in this novel promising field. This review examines recent clinical trials that support the plausibility of a gut-eye axis, and may form the basis of novel clinical interventions. PubMed was queried for English language clinical studies examining the relationships between gut microbiota and ocular pathology. 25 studies were extracted from 828 candidate publications, which suggest that gut imbalance is associated with ocular pathology. Of these, only four interventional studies exist which suggest probiotic supplementation or fecal microbiota transplant can reduce symptoms of chalazion or uveitis. The gut-eye axis appears to hold clinical relevance, but current data is limited in sample size and design. Further investigation via longitudinal clinical trials may be warranted.

Targeting the Gut-Eye Axis: An Emerging Strategy to Face Ocular Diseases

The human microbiota refers to a large variety of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that live in different human body sites, including the gut, oral cavity, skin, and eyes. In particular, the presence of an ocular surface microbiota with a crucial role in maintaining ocular surface homeostasis by preventing colonization from pathogen species has been recently demonstrated. Moreover, recent studies underline a potential association between gut microbiota (GM) and ocular health. In this respect, some evidence supports the existence of a gut-eye axis involved in the pathogenesis of several ocular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, and glaucoma. Therefore, understanding the link between the GM and these ocular disorders might be useful for the development of new therapeutic approaches, such as probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics, or faecal microbiota transplantation through which the GM could be modulated, thus allowing better management of these diseases.