The 16S rRNA sequencing raw data for the study titled Effects of high-dose glucocorticoids on gut microbiota in the treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy

<b>Background</b> Many studies indicate the gut microbiome is associated with diseases caused by administering high-dose glucocorticoids (GCs), such as hypertension, hyperglycemia and osteoporosis. However, the association between intestinal flora and the use of high-dose GCs remains elusive. We aimed to characterize gut microbiome in Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) patients after administering high-dose GCs. <b>Methods</b> In this study, 20 primary GO patients were recruited. The differences in gut microbiota of GO patients before and after administering high-dose GCs were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing technology. Untargeted metabolomic analysis was used to examine the differences in gut metabolites between two groups.<b>Results</b> There were significant differences in α and β diversities of gut microbiota in GO patients before and after administering high-dose GCs. The random forest analysis indicated that three intestinal bacteria (Faecalibacterium, Streptococcus, and Prevotella) could distinguish the two groups with the highest accuracy, which was proved by receiver operator characteristic curve and linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis. The short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing ability in GO patients’ gut after high-dose GCs administration was significantly decreased. The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels significantly increased in gut of GO patients after administering high-dose GCs. <b>Conclusions</b> Our study suggests that high-dose GCs administration causes the changes in gut microbiome and metabolites. Moreover, the altered flora and metabolites are related to hypertension, hyperglycemia and osteoporosis. These findings can help understand the development of side effects caused by high-dose GCs and can be further used to develop potential probiotics to facilitate the prevention for those side effects. <br>