Cross-sectional Association between Walking Pace and Sleep-disordered Breathing

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Sleep Medicine
• Gerontology

Background:

• Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a significant comorbidity associated with various health conditions, notably stroke.
• Current screening methods for SDB rely on traditional risk factors like obesity and sex.
• The potential role of gait parameters, specifically walking speed, in SDB screening remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cross-sectional association between self-reported walking pace and the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing.
• To determine if walking speed can serve as an independent screening indicator for SDB.
• To analyze these associations within a diverse, population-level cohort.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, including 2912 men and 3213 women aged 46-87.
• Categorized walking pace into 'slow' (<0.89 m/s) and 'average/brisk' (≥0.89 m/s) based on validated thresholds.
• Employed multivariable-adjusted models to assess risk differences and risk ratios for SDB indicators associated with walking pace.

Main Results:

• A slow walking pace (26.9% of the sample) was associated with increased prevalence of sleep apnoea, self-reported apnoeas, loud snoring, and daytime tiredness.
• Multivariable-adjusted analysis showed a 1.5 times higher risk of sleep apnoea for slower walkers compared to faster walkers.
• These associations were consistent across sexes and independent of other common screening factors.

Conclusions:

• Slower walking speed is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing.
• Walking pace emerges as a potential, simple, and independent factor for SDB screening.
• Incorporating a walking speed assessment could enhance the early identification of individuals with SDB.