title: Gut microbiota and environment in patients with major burns – a preliminary report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The gut is an important target organ after severe insult. Gut microbiota have an important role in immune response. However, the gut microbiota and environment have not been clarified in patients with burns. Therefore, we serially evaluated the gut microbiota and environment in patients with major burns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fecal samples from five patients with major burns were measured for quantitative evaluation of the gut microbiota.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the four survivors of major burns, the numbers of beneficial bacteria, especially those of total obligate anaerobes and Bifidobacterium, initially decreased, but then increased as the condition of the survivors improved. By contrast, the numbers severely decreased in the non-survivor as gut failure and sepsis progressed. The number of pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Candida did not continue to increase in the survivors, whereas in the non-survivor the number increased and continued to higher counts. Short-chain fatty acids such as propionic and butyric acids decreased to lower-than-normal levels but tended to increase after recovery in the survivors. The levels remained below normal in the non-survivor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gut microbiota and environment are severely altered in patients with major burns. Consequently, abnormal gut conditions may have an influence on the systemic inflammatory response and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. A novel treatment to maintain the gut microbiota and environment is expected in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address: shimiken@hp-emerg.med.osaka-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.affiliation: Yakult Central Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asahara
authors.affiliation: Yakult Central Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.affiliation: Critical Care & Trauma Center, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Asako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata-City, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikegawa
authors.affiliation: Nagasaki University Hospital Emergency Medical Center, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata-City, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuwagata
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology and Acute Critical Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimazu
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001438:Bacteroidaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002056:Burns / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D002087:Butyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D003013:Clostridium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006801:Humans; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D011422:Propionates / Q000378:metabolism; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002087:Butyrates; D005227:Fatty Acids; D011422:Propionates
keywords: Burn; Gut; ICU; Microbiota; Sepsis; Short-chain fatty acids