Intestinal microbiota: a regulator of intestinal inflammation and cardiac ischemia?

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic, relapsing and remitting gastrointestinal (GI) disorders of unknown etiology. IBD patients commonly exhibit extra-intestinal manifestations and complications of an inflammatory nature, presenting with disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis and vasculitis. Although the metabolic syndrome is less prevalent in patients with IBD, they are at an increased risk for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. Considerable evidence supports the role of GI microbiota in the development of IBD. Recent studies have also shown a significant interaction between the metabolites of gut microbiota and the development of cardiovascular disease. Here we hypothesize that dysbiosis and/or abnormalities in the function of the intestinal microbiota promote cardiovascular disease in IBD patients, explaining the increased risk of cardiovascular events in these patients.