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Association Between Exertional Dyspnea and OSA.
Stéphane Mouraux1, Benoît Lechartier1, Théo Imler2
1Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Chest
|December 24, 2025
Summary
Exertional dyspnea is linked to moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This association may stem from increased autonomic and cortical responses to respiratory effort, warranting further investigation into OSA treatment efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Sleep Medicine
- Cardiorespiratory Physiology
Background:
- Exertional dyspnea is a common symptom, increasing mortality and often unexplained.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is known to impair exercise capacity, but its direct link to dyspnea is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between exertional dyspnea and OSA in the general population.
- To identify polysomnographic measures of OSA related to exertional dyspnea.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study utilizing polysomnography and respiratory questionnaires.
- Logistic regression models analyzed the link between self-reported dyspnea (mMRC score ≥1) and OSA severity (AHI cut-offs).
- Adjusted models controlled for factors including age, sex, BMI, FEV1, and comorbidities.
Main Results:
- Over 1200 participants (mean age 62.1 years) were analyzed, with 42.9% reporting exertional dyspnea.
- Exertional dyspnea showed a positive association with moderate (OR 1.60) and severe OSA (OR 2.25), and higher apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) values (≥15/h and ≥30/h).
- Dyspnea correlated with AHI, respiratory disturbance index, and oxygen desaturation index 3%.
Conclusions:
- Moderate to severe OSA is associated with exertional dyspnea.
- Heightened autonomic and cortical responses to respiratory effort may explain this link.
- Further research is needed to evaluate OSA treatment's impact on dyspnea.
Keywords:
OSAapnea-hypopnea indexautonomic reactivitydyspneapolysomnographysleep apneaunexplained breathlessnessunexplained dyspneaMore Related Videos
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