Key points from article :
A team led by Alexander de Porto, PhD, from the University of Chicago has discovered that an imbalance of gut microbial metabolites in stool samples can predict short-term mortality risk in critically ill patients. Their study, published in Science Advances, introduced a metabolic dysbiosis score (MDS) based on the levels of 13 microbiota-derived metabolites. This score reliably forecasted 30-day mortality among patients admitted to a medical ICU for conditions like respiratory failure or shock.
The researchers collected faecal samples from 196 ICU patients and analysed them using advanced sequencing and mass spectrometry techniques. While individual metabolite levels didn’t differ significantly between survivors and non-survivors, the combined MDS strongly predicted death risk independently of other clinical factors. The metabolites involved include short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and tryptophan metabolites—molecules known to influence important physiological processes related to survival.
Importantly, the study suggests that this gut metabolite profile could be a useful biomarker for identifying patients at high risk and guiding personalized treatments. Potential interventions might include dietary changes, probiotics, or direct metabolite supplementation to correct the microbial imbalance. This approach reflects the growing field of precision medicine, targeting treatable traits rather than broad syndromes to improve patient outcomes in the ICU.
