Gut Microbiome as a Modulator of Inflammation in Chronic Heart Failure



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Abstract

In recent years, the amount of scientific data indicating the key role of the gut microbiome in modulating immune responses that influence myocardial remodeling and the progression of chronic heart failure has been growing. Modulating the composition and function of the gut microbiome to reduce the severity of low-grade inflammation and slow the progression of chronic heart failure appears to be an innovative approach.

This review aimed to analyze the role of the gut microbiome in cytokine-dependent inflammation in heart failure.

Fifty-two sources containing data on associations between cytokine levels and gut microbiome bacterial genera in patients with heart failure, published from 1999 to 2025 in journals indexed in PubMed and eLibrary.ru, were analyzed. The review includes a description of modern molecular methods for studying the gut microbiome, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Changes in the taxonomic and quantitative composition of the gut microbiome and in the cytokine profile of patients with heart failure are presented. The data presented in the analyzed publications demonstrate a link between specific bacterial taxa and cytokine levels in certain phenotypic groups of chronic heart failure; however, the mechanisms underlying these relationships often remain the subject of further research.

The identified limitations in the design of the reviewed studies, such as the presence of comorbidities, medication use, and unadjusted analyses that do not always account for confounding variables (diet and physical activity), underscore the need for further research to confirm these associations. Promising directions include research into disease-modifying treatment for chronic heart failure, including the development of methods to modulate the microbiota in order to reduce cytokine-mediated myocardial damage.

About the authors

Elena V. Khazova

Kazan State Medical University; Hospital for War Veterans

Author for correspondence.
Email: hazova_elena@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8050-2892
SPIN-code: 7013-4320
Scopus Author ID: 57205153574
ResearcherId: O-2336-2016

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Assistant Professor, Depart. of Propaedeutics of Internal Diseases Named after Professor S.S. Zimnitsky; therapist, Consultative Clinic

Russian Federation, Kazan; Kazan

Adel E Khairullin

Kazan State Medical University; Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University

Email: khajrulli@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6155-622X
SPIN-code: 6061-0806
Scopus Author ID: 57188687928
ResearcherId: K-4790-2018

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Assistant Professor, Depart. Of Biochemistry and KLD, Leading Researcher

Russian Federation, Kazan; Kazan

Yuri A. Tyurin

Kazan State Medical University; Kazan Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology

Email: tyurin.yurii@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2536-3604
SPIN-code: 5089-5565
Scopus Author ID: 55648762200

MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Assistant Professor, Depart. of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics; Head, Research Laboratory of Immunology and Allergen Development, senior research associate, Allergist-Immunologist

Russian Federation, Kazan; Kazan

Naira Sh. Kurmaeva

Kazan State Medical University; Republican Clinical Hospital of the Republic of Tatarstan

Email: nkurmaeva@inbox.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5505-4984
SPIN-code: 6678-2044
Scopus Author ID: 57220870567

MD, Assistant Lecturer, Depart. of Clinical Immunology with Allergology, allergist-immunologist

Russian Federation, Kazan; Kazan

Аlbina I. Suleymanova

Almetyevsk Central Regional Hospital

Email: albina_suleymanova.0803@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8372-4797

therapist

Russian Federation, Almetyevsk

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