Impaired glucose tolerance in sleep disorders.
Marietta Keckeis1, Zuzana Lattova, Eszter Maurovich-Horvat
1Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
Plos One
|March 9, 2010
Summary
Sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and restless legs syndrome significantly impair glucose tolerance and increase HbA1c. Repeated sleep arousals may be a key factor in developing metabolic diseases.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Sleep Medicine
- Metabolic Health
Background:
- Growing evidence links poor sleep to impaired glucose tolerance.
- Sleep disorders are prevalent and may pose a significant public health risk.
- Comparative studies on carbohydrate metabolism in clinical sleep disorders are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate carbohydrate metabolism in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), restless legs syndrome (RLS), and primary insomnia.
- To compare metabolic parameters between these patient groups and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were conducted.
- Carbohydrate metabolism parameters, including HbA1c, were assessed.
- Patients with OSAS (N=25), RLS (N=18), primary insomnia (N=21), and healthy controls (N=33) were included.
Main Results:
- Increased rates of impaired glucose tolerance were observed in OSAS (OR: 4.9) and RLS (OR: 4.7) patients compared to controls.
- HbA1c levels were significantly elevated in OSAS and RLS patients.
- Positive correlations were found between glucose levels and arousal indices in OSAS and RLS patients.
Conclusions:
- Certain sleep disorders, specifically OSAS and RLS, significantly compromise glucose metabolism.
- Primary insomnia did not show a significant impact on glucose metabolism in this study.
- Repeated sleep arousals are a potential causative factor for metabolic disturbances, warranting further research for novel therapeutic targets.
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