(P40-17-26) Diabetes Modifies Gut Microbial SCFA Recovery Patterns After COVID-19: An Exploratory Metabolomic Study

Objectives: COVID-19 disrupts the gut microbiome, but recovery of microbial metabolites may depend on host metabolic status. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) link diet, microbiota, and metabolic regulation. We examined SCFAs and urinary dopamine across diabetes status and COVID-19 recovery periods.

Methods: This cross-sectional metabolomic sub-study included adults grouped by diabetes status and COVID-19 history: healthy non-diabetic controls (n=11), non-diabetic ≤3 months (n=15) or >1 year (n=4) post-COVID, and diabetes without COVID (n=4) or ≤3 months (n=9), 3–12 months (n=4), or >1 year (n=13) post-COVID. Fecal acetic, propionic, and butyric acids were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and urinary dopamine by high-performance liquid chromatography. Geometric mean ratios (GMRs) were estimated using healthy controls as reference.

Results: Among non-diabetic individuals, recent COVID-19 (≤3 months) was associated with lower acetic (GMR 0.22; 78% lower), propionic (0.46; 54% lower), and butyric acids (0.31; 69% lower). These reductions were attenuated >1 year post-COVID. Diabetes without COVID already showed marked depletion of acetic (0.12; 88% lower), propionic (0.34; 66% lower), and butyric acids (0.11; 89% lower). In diabetes with prior COVID-19, SCFAs remained reduced across recovery periods (36–62% lower) without normalization. Dopamine levels were lower in groups with longer recovery periods (3–12 months and >1 year) than in those assessed ≤3 months post-COVID.

Conclusions: Diabetes was associated with marked depletion of gut microbial short-chain fatty acids independent of COVID-19 and with persistently reduced SCFA levels after infection. These findings suggest that diabetes may impair gut microbial metabolic recovery following COVID-19.

Funding Sources: Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI); National Science, Research and Innovation Fund (Thailand); Second Century Fund, Chulalongkorn University; Graduate Scholarship Programme for ASEAN and Non-ASEAN Countries, Chulalongkorn University.