Gut Microbiota Could Be a Biomarker for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

New research from the University of Florida College of Medicine has revealed that certain characteristics in a patient’s gut microbiota could serve as a biomarker for pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH).

Analysis of stool samples from 30 patients with and without a history of cardiopulmonary disease, revealed specific alterations in the gut microbiota of PAH patients that allowed investigators to predict PAH with 83% accuracy.

“We showed for the first time that specific bacteria in the gut are present in people with PAH. While current PAH treatments focus on the lungs, looking at the lung/gut axis could open the door to new therapies centered in the digestive system,” said lead investigator Mohan Raizada, Ph.D., distinguished professor at the Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics.

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