The Intestinal Microbiome after Traumatic Injury

The intestinal microbiome plays a critical role in host immune function and homeostasis. Patients suffering from-as well as models representing-multiple traumatic injuries, isolated organ system trauma, and various severities of traumatic injury have been studied as an area of interest in the dysregulation of immune function and systemic inflammation which occur after trauma. These studies also demonstrate changes in gut microbiome diversity and even microbial composition, with a transition to a pathobiome state. In addition, sex has been identified as a biological variable influencing alterations in the microbiome after trauma. Therapeutics such as fecal transplantation have been utilized to ameliorate not only these microbiome changes but may also play a role in recovery postinjury. This review summarizes the alterations in the gut microbiome that occur postinjury, either in isolated injury or multiple injuries, along with proposed mechanisms for these changes and future directions for the field.

Automated summary

The intestinal microbiome is crucial for immune function and homeostasis in the host. Studies on patients and models of traumatic injuries have shown that trauma leads to dysregulation of immune function, systemic inflammation, and alterations in gut microbiome diversity and composition, possibly transitioning to a pathobiome state. Sex has also been identified as a variable influencing microbiome alterations after trauma. Therapies such as fecal transplantation have been used to mitigate these changes and aid in post-injury recovery.