Gut microbiome linked to pancreatitis

The gut microbiota has received widespread attention due to its physiologic benefits and association with diseases. The gut microbiota is dynamic and is affected by ethnicity, gender, diet, lifestyle, geography, environment, and diseases. The pancreas is a unique organ with exocrine and endocrine functions. Pancreatitis is one of the most common causes of hospitalization globally and is shown to be associated with gut microbial alterations. However, the mechanism of dysbiosis, characteristic changes in acute, chronic, and autoimmune pancreatitis, and the cause-effect relationship with pancreatitis are not clearly understood. An up-to-date and comprehensive literature search was done to understand the composition of intestinal microbiota in patients with pancreatitis. There was a reduced alpha diversity in patients with pancreatitis and had specific microbial changes, which were non-homogeneous. Studies with larger sample sizes, uniform selection criteria, and adjustment for confounders are required to understand the association of gut microbiome with pancreatitis.