Gender Differences in the Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Diabetes

This study aimed to explore the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and diabetes in a Chinese population based on a cross-sectional analysis of patient data from a large tertiary care hospital in China and analyses whether there are any gender differences in this association.

A total of 794 (615 men and 179 women) inpatients were involved in this study. Polysomnography (PSG) was used to diagnose OSA, and overnight PSG testing was performed on each subject included in this study. All study subjects were also diagnosed with whether they had diabetes by an endocrinologist in the hospital.

After adjusting for sex, age, smoking status, alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI) groups, the results showed that the number of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) events was a risk factor for diabetes, with a 9% (95% CI: 1-17%) increase in the risk of diabetes per unit increase, while subjects with higher (per unit increase) lowest oxygen saturation value monitored during the subject's sleep (LSaO₂) with a 13% (95% CI: 4-22%) decrease in the risk of diabetes. Stratified analyses by gender, after adjustment, in men, OSA and its associated monitoring indicators were statistically significantly associated with diabetes [OR for severe OSA was 2.269 (95% CI: 1.164, 4.425), P=0.016, and OR for severe hypoxemia was 2.228 (95% CI: 1.145, 4.334), P=0.018], while not in women.

Our study found a significant association between OSA and diabetes in a Chinese clinical-based population as well as a dose-response relationship between the severity of AHI and severe hypoxemia (LSaO₂ < 80%) and blood glucose, the association has gender difference and was only present significant association in men, which demonstrated that diabetes prevention and blood glucose screening and management should be enhanced for Chinese men with OSA.