# Relationship Between Congestive Heart Failure and the Dietary Index of Gut Microbiota: Information From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2018

## TL;DR

This study found that better gut microbiota-friendly diets are linked to lower risk of congestive heart failure, based on data from a large national health survey.

## Contribution

The study is the first to show a significant inverse relationship between the Gut Microbiota Dietary Index and congestive heart failure risk.

## Key findings

- Higher DI-GM scores were associated with significantly reduced CHF risk (OR: 0.0002).
- The relationship between DI-GM and CHF was nonlinear and mediated by body mass index.
- Findings suggest potential for using dietary strategies to prevent or manage CHF.

## Abstract

The Gut Microbiota Dietary Index (DI‐GM) assesses connections between diet and microbial diversity. The morbidity and mortality of congestive heart failure are currently increasing, but the existing evidence regarding the relationship is scarce between congestive heart failure and the gut microbiota dietary index. This research looked at the possible connection between dietary markers of the microbiota in the gut and CHF. The research incorporated information from individuals 20 years of age or older, regardless of whether they had congestive heart failure. It provided that their gut microbiota dietary index data was complete, as sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNAES) carried out from 2007 until 2018. The affiliation between the gut microbiota dietary index and congestive heart failure was evaluated with multivariate logistic regression (MLR), limited cubic spline analysis, subgroup analysis, interaction analysis, and sensitivity analyses. This study examined 8671 participants, among whom 277 were diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF), while the remaining 8394 showed no signs of the condition. Once logistic regression has been used to account for all relevant variables, the results of the research showed that CHF risk and DI‐GM scores were inversely related. Specifically, those that scored best on the DI‐GM had a considerably reduced chance of developing CHF, with OR: 0.0002 and 95% CI: 0.000–0.001, in contrast to those with lower scores. A comprehensive analysis employing restricted cubic spline (RCS) methods discovered a nonlinear relationship between the incidence of CHF and DI‐GM. Subjects with elevated DI‐GM scores showed a lower likelihood of developing congestive heart failure than those with poorer scores, with body mass index acting as a mediator in this connection. These findings could open fresh avenues for CHF treatment strategies, though additional longitudinal studies will be necessary to confirm whether DI‐GM directly influences CHF risk.

In this study, which explored the relationship between DI‐GM and CHF, we found that higher DI‐GM scores were associated with a reduced risk of CHF compared with participants with lower DI‐GM scores, and the association remained significant even after adjusting for covariates, which could provide evidence for prospective studies and provide literature support for CHF prevention.