The Study
Correlation Analysis of Gut Microbiota Derivatives with Coronary Artery Disease Severity and Prognosis
This study looked at blood chemicals in people who went to the hospital with heart symptoms and found that those with clogged arteries had different levels of certain chemicals than those without. But it didn’t change anything or assign people randomly — so we can’t say these chemicals cause heart problems, only that they’re often found together.
Analysis score
Maximum 58 for a case-control study.
Where the score came from
Scientists found that certain chemicals made by gut bacteria are higher in people with clogged heart arteries, and these chemicals might help doctors spot the problem without invasive tests.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 558 / 100
Quality score
Researchers compare people who have a condition (cases) with similar people who do not (controls), looking back in time for differences in exposure. Useful but more prone to bias.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These biomarkers aren't perfect, but they could help doctors identify people at risk earlier, especially when combined with other tests.
- 2When IL-6 is above 45.17 pg/mL, it correctly identifies CAD in 70% of cases; when TMAO is above 12.44 µmol/L, it correctly identifies CAD in 65% of cases.
- 3Higher TMAO also means worse blood flow in tiny heart vessels.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine
Year
2025
Authors
Yifeng Bai, Chunrong Jin, Hui Zhang, Yu Jia, S. Xiao, Yong-Ping Yang
Related Content
Claims (6)
When the good and bad bacteria in your mouth and gut get out of balance, it can trigger body-wide inflammation and leaky gut, which may raise your risk of heart disease.
A blood level of trimethylamine-N-oxide above 12.44 µmol/L is linked to a 65.2% chance of correctly identifying people with coronary artery disease and a 76.9% chance of correctly identifying those without it, based on diagnostic test performance metrics.
A blood marker called interleukin-6 above 45.17 pg/mL correctly identifies 69.6% of people with coronary artery disease and correctly rules out 73.1% of people without it, performing better than another marker called TMAO.
People with coronary artery disease have lower levels of the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 in their blood than people without coronary artery disease.
People with coronary artery disease have higher levels of two blood markers, interleukin-6 and TMAO, than people without the disease. Higher levels of these markers are linked to more severe narrowing of the coronary arteries.
In people with coronary artery disease, higher levels of a blood compound called TMAO are linked to a reduced ability of the heart's small blood vessels to increase blood flow during stress.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.