Association between Baseline Gut Microbiota Characteristics and Therapeutic Efficacy of Acupoint Pressing Combined with Thermal Stimulation for Constipation in MHD Patients

Objective: Constipation is a prevalent symptom in patients on maintenance hemodialysis(MHD), and acupressure combined with thermal stimulation is a feasible intervention for relieving functional constipation. This study aimed to analyze the differences in pre-intervention gut microbiota characteristics between responders and non-responders with functional constipation among maintenance hemodialysis patients receiving acupressure plus thermal stimulation, screen the key gut microbial biomarkers associated with the therapeutic efficacy of the intervention, and thereby provide a scientific basis for mechanistic research on the non-pharmacological treatment of constipation in hemodialysis patients.