Liu Chang, Yue Shaoyu, Niu Di, Zhang Ligang, Chen Jing, Chen Yang, Guan Yu, Hua Xiaoliang, Chen Xianguo, Zhang Li, Du Hexi, Liang Chaozhao
Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
Institute of Urology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
World J Mens Health. 2025 Jun 2. doi: 10.5534/wjmh.240223.
Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a common urological disease and about 8.4% to 13.5% of men suffer from prostatitis symptoms in China. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of alcohol usage on patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) and the role of the gut microbiome in this course.
A total of 151 individuals were recruited when they were diagnosed with CP/CPPS. Eventually, 38 patients were enrolled and grouped into three groups: the CP/CPPS group, alcohol group, and quitter group. 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequencing was used to investigate the fecal samples, and a liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer was used to analyze untargeted metabolomics. Next, targeted identification of short-chain fatty acids was carried out. T helper 17 (Th17) cells and cytokines were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Furthermore, the associations among intestinal microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and clinical symptoms were evaluated through correlation analysis.
Alcohol consumption results in different microbial composition in patients with CP. Higher symptom scores, Th17 cell percentages and interleukin-17 concentrations were observed in the alcohol group. Notably, correlation analysis revealed that several gut microbes were correlated with propionate and butyrate contents and patient's symptoms. Contrarily, lower symptom scores, Th17 cell percentages and interleukin-17 concentrations were observed in the quitter group.
This study preliminarily explores the potential association between alcohol and CP/CPPS, in which short-chain fatty acid-producing gut flora may play a key role. This study may enhance the understanding of the effect of alcohol on CP/CPPS and provide a preliminary foundation for formulating prevention strategies. The main limitation of this study is the small sample size, and further large-scale plus in-depth research ought to be carried out in the future.
慢性前列腺炎（CP）是一种常见的泌尿系统疾病，在中国约有8.4%至13.5%的男性患有前列腺炎症状。本研究旨在评估饮酒对慢性前列腺炎/慢性盆腔疼痛综合征（CP/CPPS）患者的影响以及肠道微生物群在这一过程中的作用。
共有151名被诊断为CP/CPPS的个体被招募。最终，38名患者被纳入并分为三组：CP/CPPS组、饮酒组和戒酒组。采用16S核糖体核糖核酸测序研究粪便样本，并使用液相色谱 - 质谱仪分析非靶向代谢组学。接下来，进行短链脂肪酸的靶向鉴定。分别通过流式细胞术和酶联免疫吸附测定法测量辅助性T细胞17（Th17）细胞和细胞因子。此外，通过相关性分析评估肠道微生物群、短链脂肪酸和临床症状之间的关联。
饮酒导致CP患者的微生物组成不同。饮酒组观察到更高的症状评分、Th17细胞百分比和白细胞介素 - 17浓度。值得注意的是，相关性分析显示几种肠道微生物与丙酸和丁酸含量以及患者症状相关。相反，戒酒组观察到较低的症状评分、Th17细胞百分比和白细胞介素 - 17浓度。
本研究初步探讨了酒精与CP/CPPS之间的潜在关联，其中产生短链脂肪酸的肠道菌群可能起关键作用。本研究可能增强对酒精对CP/CPPS影响的理解，并为制定预防策略提供初步基础。本研究的主要局限性是样本量小，未来应进行进一步的大规模深入研究。
