Abstract
BACKGROUND: Alterations in the composition and abundance of the intestinal microbiota occur in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the results are inconsistent because of differences in the study design, subject area, and sequencing methodology. In this study, we compared the diversity and abundance of the intestinal microbiota of patients with NAFLD and healthy individuals through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Three databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) were searched from their inception to March 20, 2023. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata software to analyze variations in the richness and abundance of the intestinal microbiota in patients with NAFLD. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) was used for quality assessment. RESULTS: A total of 28 articles were included. Shannon diversity was reduced in patients with NAFLD (SMD = -0.24 (95% CI -0.43-0.05, I2 = 71.7%). The relative abundance of Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium, and Coprococcus all decreased, with total SMDs of -0.96 (95% CI -1.29 to -0.63, I2 = 4.8%), -1.13 (95% CI -2.07 to -0.19, I2 = 80.5%), and -1.66 (95% CI -3.04 to -0.28, I2 = 91.5%). Escherichia was increased in individuals with NAFLD (SMD = 1.78, 95% CI 0.12 to 3.45, I2 = 94.4%). CONCLUSION: Increasing the species diversity and altering the abundance of specific gut microbiota, including Coprococcus, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, and Escherichia, may be beneficial for improving NAFLD.