Towards Microbiota‐Targeted Interventions in Acute Pancreatitis: Evidence From Meta‐Analysis and Mendelian Randomization

ABSTRACT Previous studies have established a causal relationship between gut microbiota and acute pancreatitis (AP) using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods, with a predominant focus on European populations. This study aimed to systematically evaluate this association through meta‐analysis and bidirectional MR in East Asian populations. The meta‐analysis integrated data from 10 studies, revealing that gut dysbiosis significantly increased AP risk, with the “other functional microbiota” showing the most substantial effect. The MR analysis, utilizing large‐scale genome‐wide association study data, identified potential causal relationships between specific gut microbiota taxa and AP in both European and East Asian populations. Notably, specific taxa, such as Olsenella and Clostridium leptum , were associated with an increased AP risk, while Odoribacter exhibited protective effects. These findings support the potential for microbiota‐targeted interventions in AP and emphasize the consistency of the association between gut dysbiosis and AP risk across diverse populations.