Successful collection of stool samples for microbiome analyses from a large community-based population of elderly men

Melanie Abrahamson, Elizabeth Hooker, Nadim J. Ajami, Joseph F. Petrosino, Eric S. Orwoll

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

The relationship of the gastrointestinal microbiome to health and disease is of major research interest, including the effects of the gut microbiota on age related conditions. Here we report on the outcome of a project to collect stool samples on a large number of community dwelling elderly men using the OMNIgene-GUT stool/feces collection kit (OMR-200, DNA Genotek, Ottawa, Canada). Among 1328 men who were eligible for stool collection, 982 (74%) agreed to participate and 951 submitted samples. The collection process was reported to be acceptable, almost all samples obtained were adequate, the process of sample handling by mail was uniformly successful. The DNA obtained provided excellent results in microbiome analyses, yielding an abundance of species and a diversity of taxa as would be predicted. Our results suggest that population studies of older participants involving remote stool sample collection are feasible. These approaches would allow large scale research projects of the association of the gut microbiota with important clinical outcomes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)158-162
Number of pages5
JournalContemporary Clinical Trials Communications
Volume7
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2017

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Gastrointestinal
  • Genotyping
  • Men
  • Microbiome
  • Stool

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

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