Table 3 Relationships between EDSS scores and bacterial species abundance according to univariate analysis.

	Fusobacterium nucleatum			Porphyromonas gingivalis			Prevotella intermedia			Treponema denticola (※)
MS group (N = 56)	High (N = 13)	Low (N = 43)	p value	High (N = 17)	Low (N = 39)	p value	High (N = 15)	Low (N = 41)	p value	High (N = 8)	Low (N = 36)	p value
EDSS ≥ 4.0, n (%)	8 (61.5)	8 (18.6)	0.003*	4 (23.5)	12 (30.8)	0.581	4 (26.7)	12 (29.3)	0.849	2 (25.0)	8 (22.2)	0.865

NMOSD group (N = 31)	High (N = 7)	Low (N = 24)	p value	High (N = 6)	Low (N = 25)	p value	High (N = 6)	Low (N = 25)	p value	High (N = 7)	Low (N = 19)	p value
EDSS ≥ 4.0, n (%)	3 (42.9)	11 (45.8)	0.889	3 (50.0)	11 (44.0)	0.791	3 (50.0)	11 (44.0)	0.791	3 (42.9)	9 (47.4)	0.838

MOGAD group (N = 11)	High (N = 4)	Low (N = 7)	p value	High (N = 0)	Low (N = 11)	p value	High (N = 1)	Low (N = 10)	p value	High (N = 3)	Low (N = 5)	p value
EDSS ≥ 4.0, n (%)	1 (25.0)	0	0.165	–	1 (9.1)	–	0	1 (10.0)	0.740	0	0	–

The data are presented as the medians (minimum values, maximum values) for continuous variables and as frequencies and percentages for discrete variables. *p < 0.05.
High and low relative abundances are based on the third quartile (Q3) cutoff values for the ΔΔCt-calculated relative abundance of each pathogen. “High” indicates a relative abundance above Q3. “Low” indicates a relative abundance below Q3.
Adjusted p values were calculated using the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure for 12 comparisons. Only the association between F. nucleatum abundance and an EDSS score ≥ 4 in MS patients remained statistically significant after correction (adjusted p = 0.036).
Abbreviations: MS, multiple sclerosis; NMOSD, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders; MOGAD, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-associated disease; EDSS, Expanded Disability Status Scale.
(※) For Treponema denticola, the total number of evaluated patients was lower than the total number of patients in each disease group because several samples did not yield valid Ct values by qPCR and were thus considered nondetectable. As a result, the total number of patients evaluated for this pathogen was 78 (MS patients 44; NMOSD patients 26; MOGAD patients 8).

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