Influence of obstructive sleep apnoea on coronary artery disease in a Chinese population

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) assessed by angiography.

This prospective study screened 273 patients diagnosed with CAD by coronary angiography. The severity of CAD was assessed by SYNTAX score. A total of 255 subjects were enrolled of whom 161 were diagnosed with OSA, with an apnoea-hypopnoea index ≥5/hour. Ninety-four CAD patients without OSA were used as controls. The relationship between OSA and CAD was analysed by multiple linear regression.

The prevalence of OSA in CAD patients was 63.1%. The prevalences of single-vessel, two-vessel, and three-vessel disease were similar in the two groups. However, CAD was significantly more severe in patients with OSA, measured by SYNTAX score, than in those without OSA. OSA was independently associated with CAD after adjusting for traditional risk factors.

OSA is relatively common among patients with CAD in China. The independent association between OSA and CAD, even after adjusting for traditional confounders, suggests that OSA should be taken into account when considering the risk factors for CAD. The present findings highlight the important adverse influence of OSA on the severity of CAD.