[Obstructive sleep apnea and metabolic syndrome: an association study based on a large sample clinical database]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Pulmonology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep.
• The relationship between OSA and MS is increasingly recognized, but the specific risk factors and prevalence within OSA patient populations require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• To identify the risk factors associated with MS in patients with varying degrees of OSA severity.
• To explore the correlation between specific OSA-related hypoxia burden indicators and the presence of MS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 8,155 adult patients undergoing polysomnography and biochemical tests.
• Patients categorized into four groups based on OSA severity: non-OSA, mild, moderate, and severe OSA.
• Logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors (age, BMI, etc.) to evaluate the association between OSA severity, hypoxia indicators, and MS.

Main Results:

• Overall MS prevalence was 43.6%; prevalence increased with OSA severity (18.6% in non-OSA to 57.1% in severe OSA).
• Patients with mild, moderate, and severe OSA had significantly increased odds of MS (ORs: 1.27, 1.84, 2.08, respectively) compared to non-OSA.
• Indicators of hypoxic burden, such as oxygen drop index and cumulative time below 90% oxygen saturation, were strongly associated with MS (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

• The risk of developing metabolic syndrome significantly escalates with the increasing severity of obstructive sleep apnea.
• Specific indicators reflecting the burden of hypoxia during sleep are closely associated with metabolic syndrome.
• These findings underscore the importance of screening for MS in OSA patients and managing hypoxia.