Disordered Gut Microbiome and Alterations in Metabolic Patterns Are Associated With Hypertensive Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Abstract

Background Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is most common when driven by hypertension, and it is a strong independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events and death. Some animal models support a role for gut microbiota and metabolites in the development of LVH, but cohort studies confirming these findings in populations are lacking. Methods and Results We investigated the alterations of gut microbiota and metabolites in 30 patients with hypertension, 30 patients with hypertensive LVH, and 30 matched controls on the basis of 16S rDNA and metabolomic analyses. Thirty stool and 90 serum samples were collected in fasting conditions. ANOVA/Kruskal–Wallis/Pearson's χ2/Fisher's exact test and Bonferroni's correction were used (P<0.0167) for comparison among the 3 groups. A regression analysis and subgroup analysis were performed between gut microbiota and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and metabolites and LVMI, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis was performed between metabolites and flora and metabolites and LVMI. We observed LVH‐enriched Faecalitalea (β=6758.55 [95% CI, 2080.92–11436.18]; P=0.009), Turicibacter (β=8424.76 [95% CI, 2494.05–14355.47]; P=0.01), Ruminococcus torques group (β=840.88 [95% CI, 223.1–1458.67]; P=0.013), and Erysipelotrichaceae UCG‐003 (β=856.37 [95% CI, 182.76–1529.98]; P=0.019) were positively correlated with LVMI. A total of 1141 (in sera) and 2657 (in feces) metabolites were identified. There was a sex‐specific association between metabolites and LVMI. Significant changes in metabolic pathways in LVH were also observed, especially bile acid and lipid metabolism pathways. Conclusions Our study demonstrated the disordered gut microbiota and microbial metabolite profiles in LVH. This highlights the roles of gut bacteria and metabolite in this disease and could lead to new intervention, diagnostic, or management paradigms for LVH. Registration URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn; Unique Identifier: ChiCTR2200055603.

Keywords

• gut microbiota
• hypertension
• left ventricular hypertrophy
• metabolomics