Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Altered Heart Rate Variability in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sleep Medicine
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to cardiovascular issues and common depressive symptoms.
• Both OSA and depression involve autonomic dysfunction, but the role of depression in OSA's autonomic impact is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between depressive symptom severity and autonomic function, measured by heart-rate variability (HRV), in patients with OSA.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1713 adults with OSA.
• Heart-rate variability (HRV) derived from electrocardiography during polysomnography.
• Depressive symptoms assessed using Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II); associations analyzed via regression.

Main Results:

• Higher BDI-II scores correlated with lower HRV indices (ln LF, ln HF, ln VLF, ln TP) in univariable analysis.
• Higher BDI-II scores were independently associated with lower ln LF, ln HF, and ln TP in multivariable analysis, after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusions:

• Increased depressive symptom burden is independently linked to reduced HRV in OSA patients.
• Findings suggest attenuated parasympathetic activity and autonomic dysregulation.
• Supports integrated management of OSA addressing psychological and physiological aspects to mitigate cardiovascular risk.