Intestinal Dysbiosis and Cardiovascular Diseases in Adults: Scope of the Evidence on Their Association, Severity, and Interventions Described in the Literature. A Scoping Review

This scoping review aims to systematically map and synthesize the available evidence on the relationship between intestinal dysbiosis and cardiovascular diseases in adults. Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and growing evidence suggests that alterations in the gut microbiome may play a relevant role in their development, progression, and clinical outcomes. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, this study will include original research articles published between January 2020 and December 2025, in English or Spanish, that examine the association between intestinal dysbiosis, gut microbiota or microbiome-related metabolites, and cardiovascular diseases in adult populations. Both observational and experimental studies conducted in clinical or community settings will be considered. A comprehensive literature search will be conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS, using controlled vocabulary (MeSH and DeCS) and free-text terms related to gut dysbiosis, gut microbiota, and cardiovascular diseases. Study selection will be performed independently by two reviewers using the Rayyan platform, through title and abstract screening followed by full-text assessment, in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data will be extracted using a standardized charting form to collect information on study characteristics, population features, types of cardiovascular diseases assessed, methods used to characterize intestinal dysbiosis and the gut microbiome, cardiovascular outcomes related to disease onset, severity, progression or prognosis, and microbiome-targeted interventions such as dietary modifications, probiotics, prebiotics, or other related strategies. The results will be synthesized using a descriptive and thematic approach, with the aim of identifying research trends, methodological approaches, key findings, and gaps in the current literature. This scoping review does not seek to estimate pooled effects but rather to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing evidence and to highlight areas requiring further investigation in the emerging field of the gut–heart axis.