Intestinal microbiome and metabolome changes induced by sevoflurane, propofol, and sevoflurane–propofol anaesthesia in patients undergoing nephrectomy

Editor—General anaesthesia can dysregulate numerous physiological processes, including intestinal microbiome dyshomeostasis. The intestinal microbiota can affect brain cognition through the gut–brain axis, and intestinal metabolites are one of the important mediators connecting the gut–brain axis.1 Propofol and sevoflurane are commonly used general anaesthetics. Currently, there are no studies on the effects of different anaesthesia methods on the human microbiome and metabolome. We collected and analysed stool samples from patients before and after anaesthesia using a comprehensive method combining 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics.