P1222 Gut microbiome differences regarding lifestyle and the history of COVID-19 infection in ulcerative colitis patients

Abstract

Abstract Background The microbiome contributes to the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) but the contribution of different lifestyle and environmental factors to the compositional variability of the gut microbiota is unclear. Also, it is known that microbiota plays an important role in infectious diseases like coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods In 6-month time (June 2021 to December 2021) 49 UC outpatients from Riga East Clinical University Hospital were included in a Cross-sectional study. All patients were divided into groups according to COVID-19 status (COVID-19posvs COVID-19neg) within 6 months. The effect of the lifestyle (smoking cigarettes, alcohol intake, sports activities, and high psychological stress level) and COVID-19 to the gut microbiota in patients with UC was investigated. For taxonomical classifying of the gut microbiome metagenome data, MetaPhlAn v.2.6.0 tool was used. In further analysis gut microbiome (mostly bacteria phyla) and related data was analysed with SPSS 20.0. Results Out of 49 patients, 31(63%) were male and 18(37%) were female, the mean age was Md=38 [IQR:34-51]. Fourteen patients (28.6%) have been COVID-19 pos and 35(71.4%) COVID-19 neg. There were no statistically significant differences between COVID-19 pos and COVID-19 neg patients and their microbiota, nor between COVID-19 pos symptomatic 12(24.5%) and asymptomatic 37(75.5%) patients and their gut microbiome. Out of 49, 24(49%) were doing sports, of those 18(51.4%) were COVD-19neg vs. 6 (42.9%) COVID-19pos, p=0.82. Evaluating differences in the gut microbiome regarding physical activities there was no statistical significance. Of 49 patients, 30(61.2%) have smoked before, while 19(38.8%) haven’t smoked. Medium smoking time was 8 years Md=8 [IQR:4.50-20.0]. Analysing gut microbiome in smokers/non-smokers, and the length of smoking, there were found no statistically significant differences. Thirty-five (71.4%) were using alcohol, and 14(28.6%) were not. Those who were using alcohol had statistically significantly more Firmicutes in their gut microbiome Md= 64.8[IQR:53.7-70.4] than no users Md=48[IQR:37.5-66.3], p=0.041. Regarding high stress levels, those who had less stress 18(36.7%), had more Actinobacteria in their gut microbiome Md=11.7[IQR:6.92-14.8] vs stressful patients 31(63.3%) Md=6.03[IQR:2.23-13.8], p=0.03. Conclusion There were no changes in gut microbiome in COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative patients, nor in smokers and no smokers. Alcohol users had more bacteria Firmicutes in their gut microbiome. There were no differences in gut microbiome in UC patients doing or lacking sports. UC patients with less stress had more Actinobacteria in their gut microbiome.