A literature-based gut microbiota dietary index and its association with obstructive sleep apnea risk: a...

Limited research has explored the link between the Literature-Based Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota (LBDI-GM) and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). This study aims to examine the relationship between these two conditions.

This cross-sectional analysis utilized data from the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) served as the independent variable, evaluated through self-reported questionnaires. The dependent variable was the novel literature-Based Dietary Index for Gut Microbiota, which quantified dietary patterns linked to intestinal microbiome characteristics. Weighted multivariable logistic regression modeling explored associations between LBDI-GM and OSA. Supplementary subgroup and interaction evaluations were performed.

A total of 8,707 participants were included in the final analysis, with a mean age of 47.66 years (SD = 0.43). The study population was nearly equally distributed by sex, with 4,460 males (51.2%) and 4,247 females (48.8%). Following comprehensive adjustment for potential confounders in the weighted logistic regression model (Model III), LBDI-GM demonstrated a statistically significant inverse association with OSA risk (OR = 0.967, 95% CI: 0.938-0.996, p = 0.025). Sex-stratified analyses indicated that this protective association was particularly evident among female participants.

This cross-sectional study identified an inverse association between LBDI-GM and OSA, suggesting that dietary patterns promoting gut microbiota health may play a role in reducing the risk of OSA. These findings highlight the potential for integrating dietary interventions into clinical practice to improve OSA management.