Improving gut bacteria to lower heart disease risk in people with HIV who drink heavily
Microbiome, Metabolites, and Alcohol in HIV to Reduce CVD (META HIV CVD)
A tailored probiotic is being given to people with HIV who drink heavily to improve gut bacteria and lower their chance of heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169828 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of research that gives a specially chosen probiotic designed to boost butyrate-producing bacteria to try to fix alcohol-related gut problems that may harm the heart. One part is a randomized trial of 250 people at Vanderbilt where participants receive either the probiotic or a placebo and have blood and stool tests to measure inflammation and harmful metabolites like TMAO. Another part follows about 2,900 veterans over time to see whether these gut-related metabolites predict heart disease and death. Vanderbilt and the University of Louisville cores support lab testing of microbiome and metabolite changes to link the probiotic effects with clinical heart outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV who are heavy alcohol consumers and who meet the trial’s health and enrollment criteria, while the larger cohort involves veterans with and without HIV.
Not a fit: People without HIV, people who do not drink heavily, or those with contraindications to probiotics are unlikely to benefit from this specific intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lower gut inflammation and harmful metabolites and ultimately reduce heart disease risk for people living with HIV who drink heavily.
How similar studies have performed: Some smaller trials show probiotics can improve gut inflammation or metabolites, but using a tailored probiotic to reduce cardiovascular events in people with HIV is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freiberg, Matthew S — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Freiberg, Matthew S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.