The association between the gut microbiome and 24-hour blood pressure measurements in the SCAPIS study

Abstract

AbstractBackground and AimsLarge population-based studies on gut microbiota and hypertension have been conducted using methods with low taxonomic resolution and office blood pressure. This study aims to investigate the relationship between specific characteristics of the gut microbiome and 24-hour blood pressure measurements.Methods and resultsThe association of gut microbial species, determined by shotgun metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples, with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements was assessed in 4063 participants without antihypertensive medication from the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study. Multivariable-adjusted models identified 140 microbial species associated with at least one of the 24-hour blood pressure traits. Notably,Roseburia faecis,R. inulinivorans, andDorea longicatenawere strongly positively associated with mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, whileAlistipes communisandA. shahiiwere inversely associated with diastolic blood pressure. An enrichment of threonine degradation I,Bifidobacteriumshunt, and lactate production was observed in species associated with mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Species positively associated with blood pressure were in general also positively associated with secondary bile acids but negatively associated with primary bile acids and vitamin A-related metabolites.ConclusionsIn this large cross-sectional analysis, we identified a group of gut microbial species and microbial functions associated with blood pressure. Our findings provide insights into the relation of the gut microbiome and blood pressure, which can lead to a new understanding of the etiology of hypertension.