Sleep apnea is associated with the increase of certain genera of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae in the gut microbiome of hypertensive patients

ABSTRACT

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypertension are interrelated diseases linked to gut dysbiosis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of OSA on the gut microbiome in the context of hypertension and vice versa.

Research design and methods

Of 211 consecutively screened patients, 52 completed polysomnography study, medical history questionnaires, and fecal sample collection. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on fecal samples, and diversity, richness, and microbial taxa were analyzed using bioinformatics.

Results

Alpha diversity showed slightly decreased diversity in OSA and hypertension groups without significant difference, and the hypoxia burden index (HBI) showed a weak positive correlation with Chao1 index (r = 0.342, p < 0.05) in OSA patients. Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio was higher in patients with than without OSA. In hypertensive patients, those with OSA had higher Ruminococcus_1, Lachnoclostridium, Lachnospira, [Ruminococcus]_torques_group, and unidentified Lachnospiraceae levels than those without OSA. Conversely, in OSA patients, hypertensive patients had lower Faecalibacterium and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group levels.

Conclusion

The present study suggests a possible compensatory mechanism for gut microbiome changes in sleep apnea pathophysiology. The positive correlation between HBI and alpha diversity, and increase in certain genera of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae in OSA patients may represent an adaptive response to hypoxia.

KEYWORDS:

• Compensatory response
• gut microbiome
• hypertension
• Lachnospiraceae
• obstructive sleep apnea
• Ruminococcaceae

Declaration of interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have received an honorarium from Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine for their review work but have no other relevant financial relationships to disclose

Author contributions

Cheng Zhang and Fengwei Chen were responsible for subject enrollment, specimen collection, and data analysis, and writing the manuscript. Yane Shen was involved in subject enrollment and interpretation of the sleep study report. Yuqing Chen was responsible for the interpretation of the microbiome data reports. Jing Ma was responsible for study concept and design, as well as interpretation of results.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17476348.2022.2147509

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 82000096).