Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Gastroesophageal Reflux: A Multivariate Population-Level Analysis

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Pulmonology
• Sleep Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Previous studies on the link between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have yielded inconsistent results.
• Limited research has adequately controlled for confounding factors that may influence the GER-OSA relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if GER is significantly associated with OSA after adjusting for potential confounders.
• To quantify the strength of the association between GER and OSA.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of national ambulatory care data (2005-2010).
• Inclusion of adult patients with diagnoses of OSA or GER.
• Multivariate logistic regression and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the association, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, sinonasal and laryngopharyngeal disorders, obesity, asthma, and lung disorders.

Main Results:

• A significant positive association was observed between GER and OSA.
• This association remained significant after adjusting for multiple confounding variables (OR: 1.94-2.13, P = .014-.030).
• The link between GER and OSA was consistent across broad and narrow diagnostic criteria.

Conclusions:

• Gastroesophageal reflux is independently associated with obstructive sleep apnea.
• Individuals with GER have approximately double the odds of also having OSA.
• This independent association persists even when controlling for other common medical conditions.