Diagnostic significance of the level of short chain fatty acids and aminothiols in the EMERCOM of Russia response officers with risk factors for circulatory system diseases

Relevance. Individuals of stressful professions, including the emergency response officers (firefighters and rescuers) of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, are prone to the early onset of circulatory system diseases (CSD). At in-depth examinations the CSD detection rate in EMERCOM response officers is above 10%. Earlier studies report that CSD risk factors are widespread among EMERCOM of Russia response officers. Therefore, it is relevant to identify the predisposition to CSD as soon as possible in order to maintain good health and longevity among highly qualified professionals of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.

The pathophysiological mechanism underlying progression of atherosclerosis affects complicated interactions between vasculature, immune system and lipid metabolism. Evidence shows that intestinal microbiome exacerbates all compound risk factors for atherosclerosis, both directly and indirectly, thus playing an important role in CSD development.

Numerous studies revealed that elevated levels of plasma homocysteine and other aminothiols strongly correlate with manifestations of vascular dysfunction in atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and thrombosis, which makes it possible to isolate homocysteine as an independent risk factor for CSD progression.

Our objective is to evaluate intestinal microbiome metabolism indicators and plasma aminothiols as early CVD risk markers in emergency response officers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.

Methodology. A comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination was performed in 96 emergency response male officers of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations at a regular medical check-up in the outpatient center of the Nikiforov Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, EMERCOM of Russia, St. Petersburg. The average age of response officers was (35.9 ± 0.8) years, with average work experience in the EMERCOM of Russia of (8.8 ± 0.5) years. All emergency response officers were split in 3 groups: group 1 included 56 practically healthy males, group 2 - 20 males with risk of CVD development, group 3 - 20 males with established CVD diagnosis. Chromatography with mass-spectrometric determination of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and aminothiols was performed in plasma samples from all examined patients.

Results and analysis. TMAO level was elevated by 30 % in group 3 compared to group 1. Acetic acid level decrease by 32 % was found in group 2 and by 45 % in group 3 compared to group 1.

Plasma valeric and butyric acids were decreased by 1.9 and 2.5 times respectively in group 3 compared to group 1, as well as by 2 times in group 3 compared to group 2. It was found that in group 3 cystine concentration was decreased by 30 % compared to group 1 and reduced glutathione was elevated by 2 times compared to group 2.

Conclusion. The revealed changes in the level of SCFA, aminothiols and TMAO in emergency response officers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia indicate a metabolic imbalance, which expands our understanding of the interactions between the intestinal microbiome and human body. This is fundamentally important for CSD early diagnosis, prevention and correction in emergency response officers of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.

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