Gut microbiota imbalance and its correlations with hormone and inflammatory factors in patients with stage 3/4 endometriosis

March 18, 2025

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Karen Pendergrass

Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.

What was studied?

The study investigated the role of gut microbiota in endometriosis (EM), focusing on its differences between individuals with stage 3/4 EM and healthy controls and how these differences correlate with serum hormone levels and inflammatory cytokines.

 

Who was studied?

The research involved 12 patients diagnosed with stage 3/4 endometriosis and 12 healthy control subjects. The researchers compared their gut microbiota compositions and measured serum levels of hormones and inflammatory cytokines.

 

What were the most important findings?

Key findings included a lower α diversity of gut microbiota and a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the EM group compared to controls. Significant differences in the abundances of various taxa were observed, along with higher serum levels of estradiol (E2) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the EM group. The study also identified correlations between specific microbial abundances and levels of estradiol and IL-8.

 

What are the greatest implications of this study?

The study’s implications suggest that the gut microbiota may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of endometriosis through its influence on hormonal and inflammatory pathways. These findings open potential avenues for novel therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota in endometriosis management and highlight the need for further research to verify and expand upon these preliminary observations.

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