Table 6.
Analysis of fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) levels and their correlation with serum-free fatty acids (FFA) levels in healthy controls (HC) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
| HC | SLE | p | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCFA levels (mM) | |||
| Acetate | 41.14 (12.30) | 57.63 (19.63) | 0.005 |
| Propionate | 11.96 (8.72) | 20.61 (9.80) | 0.003 |
| Butyrate | 7.78 (3.97) | 10.50 (7.14) | 0.075 |
| SCFA–FFA correlations | |||
| Acetate | r = 0.770 | r = 0.067 | |
| p < 0.001 | p = 0.793 | ||
| Propionate | r = 0.790 | r = 0.230 | |
| p < 0.001 | p = 0.359 | ||
| Butyrate | r = 0.764 | r = −0.066 | |
| p < 0.001 | p = 0.795 | ||
The differences between fecal SCFA levels found in lupus patients and those in HC were analyzed by Mann–Withney U tests; whereas the correlation analyses were performed by Spearman rank’s tests. Variables are summarized as median (interquartile range). Statistical analyses with a p-value below 0.050 are highlighted in bold.