TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Background The gut microbiota has been implicated in the onset and progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It has been proposed that gut dysbiosis impairs gut barrier function, leading to alterations in mucosal integrity and immunity. This disruption allows bacterial translocation, contri...

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Main Authors: Sofia Charneca, Ana Hernando, Inês Almada-Correia, Joaquim Polido-Pereira, Adriana Vieira, Joana Sousa, Ana Santos Almeida, Carla Motta, Gonçalo Barreto, Kari K. Eklund, Ana Alonso-Pérez, Rodolfo Gómez, Francesco Cicci, Daniele Mauro, Salomé S. Pinho, João Eurico Fonseca, Patrícia Costa-Reis, Catarina Sousa Guerreiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Nutrition Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01089-6
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author Sofia Charneca
Ana Hernando
Inês Almada-Correia
Joaquim Polido-Pereira
Adriana Vieira
Joana Sousa
Ana Santos Almeida
Carla Motta
Gonçalo Barreto
Kari K. Eklund
Ana Alonso-Pérez
Rodolfo Gómez
Francesco Cicci
Daniele Mauro
Salomé S. Pinho
João Eurico Fonseca
Patrícia Costa-Reis
Catarina Sousa Guerreiro
author_facet Sofia Charneca
Ana Hernando
Inês Almada-Correia
Joaquim Polido-Pereira
Adriana Vieira
Joana Sousa
Ana Santos Almeida
Carla Motta
Gonçalo Barreto
Kari K. Eklund
Ana Alonso-Pérez
Rodolfo Gómez
Francesco Cicci
Daniele Mauro
Salomé S. Pinho
João Eurico Fonseca
Patrícia Costa-Reis
Catarina Sousa Guerreiro
author_sort Sofia Charneca
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The gut microbiota has been implicated in the onset and progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It has been proposed that gut dysbiosis impairs gut barrier function, leading to alterations in mucosal integrity and immunity. This disruption allows bacterial translocation, contributing to the perpetuation of the inflammatory process. Since diet is recognised as a key environmental factor influencing the gut microbiota, nutritional interventions targeting RA activity are currently being explored. This study aims to investigate whether a dietary intervention based on a typical Mediterranean Diet enriched with fermented foods (MedDiet +) can impact the gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, and RA-related outcomes. Methods One hundred RA patients are being recruited at Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Santa Maria in Lisbon, Portugal, and randomly assigned to either the intervention (MedDiet +) or the control group. The 12-week nutritional intervention includes a personalised dietary plan following the MedDiet + pattern, along with educational resources, food basket deliveries, and clinical culinary workshops, all developed and monitored weekly by registered dietitians. The control group receives standardised general healthy diet recommendations at baseline. The intervention's effects will be assessed by evaluating disease activity, functional status, quality of life, intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, inflammatory biomarkers, intestinal and oral microbiota, serum proteomics, and serum glycome profile characterisation. Discussion We anticipate obtaining integrative insights into the interplay between diet, the gut, and RA, while also exploring the underlying mechanisms driving these changes. This study, conducted by a multidisciplinary research team of registered dietitians, rheumatologists, biologists, and immunologists, aims to bridge the current gap between nutrition-related knowledge and RA. Trial registration Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06758817; date of registry: January 6th 2025).
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spelling doaj-art-fd609b7dfc7e447a9a0742b3f8ae29d82025-08-20T03:10:07ZengBMCNutrition Journal1475-28912025-04-0124111310.1186/s12937-025-01089-6TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritisSofia Charneca0Ana Hernando1Inês Almada-Correia2Joaquim Polido-Pereira3Adriana Vieira4Joana Sousa5Ana Santos Almeida6Carla Motta7Gonçalo Barreto8Kari K. Eklund9Ana Alonso-Pérez10Rodolfo Gómez11Francesco Cicci12Daniele Mauro13Salomé S. Pinho14João Eurico Fonseca15Patrícia Costa-Reis16Catarina Sousa Guerreiro17Laboratório de Nutrição, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaLaboratório de Nutrição, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaGIMM - Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular MedicineLaboratório de Nutrição, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaDepartamento de Alimentação e Nutrição, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo JorgeClinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University HospitalClinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University HospitalMusculoskeletal Pathology Group, Institute IDIS, Santiago University Clinical HospitalMusculoskeletal Pathology Group, Institute IDIS, Santiago University Clinical HospitalDipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università Della Campania L. VanvitelliDipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università Della Campania L. VanvitelliInstitute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3s), University of PortoFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaLaboratório de Nutrição, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Centro Académico de Medicina de LisboaAbstract Background The gut microbiota has been implicated in the onset and progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It has been proposed that gut dysbiosis impairs gut barrier function, leading to alterations in mucosal integrity and immunity. This disruption allows bacterial translocation, contributing to the perpetuation of the inflammatory process. Since diet is recognised as a key environmental factor influencing the gut microbiota, nutritional interventions targeting RA activity are currently being explored. This study aims to investigate whether a dietary intervention based on a typical Mediterranean Diet enriched with fermented foods (MedDiet +) can impact the gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, and RA-related outcomes. Methods One hundred RA patients are being recruited at Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Santa Maria in Lisbon, Portugal, and randomly assigned to either the intervention (MedDiet +) or the control group. The 12-week nutritional intervention includes a personalised dietary plan following the MedDiet + pattern, along with educational resources, food basket deliveries, and clinical culinary workshops, all developed and monitored weekly by registered dietitians. The control group receives standardised general healthy diet recommendations at baseline. The intervention's effects will be assessed by evaluating disease activity, functional status, quality of life, intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, inflammatory biomarkers, intestinal and oral microbiota, serum proteomics, and serum glycome profile characterisation. Discussion We anticipate obtaining integrative insights into the interplay between diet, the gut, and RA, while also exploring the underlying mechanisms driving these changes. This study, conducted by a multidisciplinary research team of registered dietitians, rheumatologists, biologists, and immunologists, aims to bridge the current gap between nutrition-related knowledge and RA. Trial registration Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06758817; date of registry: January 6th 2025).https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01089-6Mediterranean dietMicrobiotaIntestinal permeabilityEndotoxemiaRheumatoid arthritis
spellingShingle Sofia Charneca
Ana Hernando
Inês Almada-Correia
Joaquim Polido-Pereira
Adriana Vieira
Joana Sousa
Ana Santos Almeida
Carla Motta
Gonçalo Barreto
Kari K. Eklund
Ana Alonso-Pérez
Rodolfo Gómez
Francesco Cicci
Daniele Mauro
Salomé S. Pinho
João Eurico Fonseca
Patrícia Costa-Reis
Catarina Sousa Guerreiro
TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
Nutrition Journal
Mediterranean diet
Microbiota
Intestinal permeability
Endotoxemia
Rheumatoid arthritis
title TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
title_full TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
title_fullStr TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
title_full_unstemmed TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
title_short TASTY trial: protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition, intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
title_sort tasty trial protocol for a study on the triad of nutrition intestinal microbiota and rheumatoid arthritis
topic Mediterranean diet
Microbiota
Intestinal permeability
Endotoxemia
Rheumatoid arthritis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-025-01089-6
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