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Review Article
Online Published: 11 Jul 2026
 


Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Maha Mahmoud Abdullatif, Wael Sulobi Basheir Alharbi, Mohammed Bader H. Alanazi, Raniyah Inad B. Alanazi, Mohammed Mamdouh T. Alanazi, Jaber Ali Alharbi, Rimas Khalid A. Alanazi, Rawan Nawaf F. Aldaydab, Raghad Omair Y. Alanazi, Nawaf Saud W. Alruwaili, Nawal Surhuj Q. Alanazi, Sarah Sultan A. Alanazi, Abdulmalik Khalifah Almihbash, Abdulrahman Hejji Bin Eid Alanazi, Albatul Sultan Amash Alanazi.


Abstract
The gut microbiome can play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study aimed to synthesize the evidence regarding the relationship between the dysbiosis of the gut bacterial microbiome and DR. A systematic search was conducted across several databases. The outcomes included alpha diversity and/or relative abundance of the gut bacterial microbiome. The results were pooled and presented as the standardized mean difference with 95% confidence intervals. Nine studies were included. The reported indices of alpha diversity were quantitatively pooled using a random effects model, as significant heterogeneity was detected. There was no significant difference between the DR and DM in any of the pooled indices (all p-values >0.05). In addition, pooling of relative abundance was conducted using a random effects model for all phyla, as significant heterogeneity was detected. There was no significant difference between the DR and DM in any of the pooled estimates (all p-values >0.05). The current meta-analysis revealed a lack of significant differences in alpha diversity indices between diabetic patients with and without DR. This lack of significance was observed not only across all measured indices of alpha diversity, but also at the level of major bacterial phyla.

Key words: Diabetes mellitus, diabetic retinopathy, dysbiosis, gastrointestinal microbiome, gut-retina axis, meta-analysis


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Abdullatif MM, Alharbi WSB, Alanazi MBH, Alanazi RIB, Alanazi MMT, Alharbi JA, Alanazi RKA, Aldaydab RNF, Alanazi ROY, Alruwaili NSW, Alanazi NSQ, Alanazi SSA, Almihbash AK, Alanazi AHBE, Alanazi ASA. Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217

Web Style

Abdullatif MM, Alharbi WSB, Alanazi MBH, Alanazi RIB, Alanazi MMT, Alharbi JA, Alanazi RKA, Aldaydab RNF, Alanazi ROY, Alruwaili NSW, Alanazi NSQ, Alanazi SSA, Almihbash AK, Alanazi AHBE, Alanazi ASA. Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=312712 [Access: July 11, 2026]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Abdullatif MM, Alharbi WSB, Alanazi MBH, Alanazi RIB, Alanazi MMT, Alharbi JA, Alanazi RKA, Aldaydab RNF, Alanazi ROY, Alruwaili NSW, Alanazi NSQ, Alanazi SSA, Almihbash AK, Alanazi AHBE, Alanazi ASA. Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC. Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217


Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Abdullatif MM, Alharbi WSB, Alanazi MBH, Alanazi RIB, Alanazi MMT, Alharbi JA, Alanazi RKA, Aldaydab RNF, Alanazi ROY, Alruwaili NSW, Alanazi NSQ, Alanazi SSA, Almihbash AK, Alanazi AHBE, Alanazi ASA. Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC, [cited July 11, 2026]; Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217


Harvard Style

Abdullatif, M. M., Alharbi, . W. S. B., Alanazi, . M. B. H., Alanazi, . R. I. B., Alanazi, . M. M. T., Alharbi, . J. A., Alanazi, . R. K. A., Aldaydab, . R. N. F., Alanazi, . R. O. Y., Alruwaili, . N. S. W., Alanazi, . N. S. Q., Alanazi, . S. S. A., Almihbash, . A. K., Alanazi, . A. H. B. E. & Alanazi, . A. S. A. (2026) Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. IJMDC, Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217


Turabian Style

Abdullatif, Maha Mahmoud, Wael Sulobi Basheir Alharbi, Mohammed Bader H. Alanazi, Raniyah Inad B. Alanazi, Mohammed Mamdouh T. Alanazi, Jaber Ali Alharbi, Rimas Khalid A. Alanazi, Rawan Nawaf F. Aldaydab, Raghad Omair Y. Alanazi, Nawaf Saud W. Alruwaili, Nawal Surhuj Q. Alanazi, Sarah Sultan A. Alanazi, Abdulmalik Khalifah Almihbash, Abdulrahman Hejji Bin Eid Alanazi, and Albatul Sultan Amash Alanazi. 2026. Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217


Chicago Style

Abdullatif, Maha Mahmoud, Wael Sulobi Basheir Alharbi, Mohammed Bader H. Alanazi, Raniyah Inad B. Alanazi, Mohammed Mamdouh T. Alanazi, Jaber Ali Alharbi, Rimas Khalid A. Alanazi, Rawan Nawaf F. Aldaydab, Raghad Omair Y. Alanazi, Nawaf Saud W. Alruwaili, Nawal Surhuj Q. Alanazi, Sarah Sultan A. Alanazi, Abdulmalik Khalifah Almihbash, Abdulrahman Hejji Bin Eid Alanazi, and Albatul Sultan Amash Alanazi. "Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217


MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Abdullatif, Maha Mahmoud, Wael Sulobi Basheir Alharbi, Mohammed Bader H. Alanazi, Raniyah Inad B. Alanazi, Mohammed Mamdouh T. Alanazi, Jaber Ali Alharbi, Rimas Khalid A. Alanazi, Rawan Nawaf F. Aldaydab, Raghad Omair Y. Alanazi, Nawaf Saud W. Alruwaili, Nawal Surhuj Q. Alanazi, Sarah Sultan A. Alanazi, Abdulmalik Khalifah Almihbash, Abdulrahman Hejji Bin Eid Alanazi, and Albatul Sultan Amash Alanazi. "Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. Web. 11 Jul 2026 doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217


APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Abdullatif, M. M., Alharbi, . W. S. B., Alanazi, . M. B. H., Alanazi, . R. I. B., Alanazi, . M. M. T., Alharbi, . J. A., Alanazi, . R. K. A., Aldaydab, . R. N. F., Alanazi, . R. O. Y., Alruwaili, . N. S. W., Alanazi, . N. S. Q., Alanazi, . S. S. A., Almihbash, . A. K., Alanazi, . A. H. B. E. & Alanazi, . A. S. A. (2026) Gut bacterial microbiome and diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, Online First: 11 Jul, 2026. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1772665217




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