Gut microbiota in hypertensive patients with versus without obstructive sleep apnea

We investigated the alteration of gut microbiota and the associated metabolic risks in hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) comorbidity. Fecal and blood samples were collected from 52 hypertensive patients, who were divided into three groups: A (controls, apnea‐hypopnea index[AHI] < 5, n = 15), B (mild OSA, 5 < AHI < 20, n = 17), and C (moderate‐to‐severe OSA, AHI > 20, n = 20). The composition of the gut microbiota was studied through 16s RNA sequencing of variable regions 3–4. Analysis of the results revealed that group C had a significant higher concentration of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein, and IL‐1β compared with group A. The Shannon index showed that bacterial biodiversity was lower in OSA patients. At the phylum level, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) was significantly higher in group C than in groups A and B. At the genus level, the relative abundance of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA)‐producing bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides and Prevotella) was lower while the number of inflammation‐related bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus) was increased in patients with OSA. We found that the IL‐1β level was negatively correlated with Bacteroidetes. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was .672 for F/B ratio in determining hypertensive patients with OSA. In patients with hypertension, OSA was associated with worse gut dysbiosis, as evidenced by decreased levels of short‐chain fatty acids‐producing bacteria and increased number of inflammation‐related bacteria. The differences in gut microbiota discriminate hypertensive patients with OSA from those without and may result in an enhanced inflammatory response and increase the risk of metabolic diseases.