Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Subclinical Ischemic Heart Disease Risk in Obese Adults: Findings from an International...

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between OSA and subclinical risks of IHD in obese adults.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 500 obese adults attending outpatient clinics in international medical centers. A structured questionnaire, comprising the STOP-Bang Questionnaire (SBQ) for OSA risk assessment and the INTERHEART Modifiable Risk Score (IHMRS) for subclinical IHD risk, was used to collect data. SPSS v.26 was used to perform statistical analyses.

The majority of participants were men (67%), aged between 50 and 59 years (53%). The OSA was moderately positively correlated with the risk of subclinical IHD (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). The male scores were higher in both STOP-Bang and IHMRS (p < 0.01) and were associated with older age (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that OSA risk (B = 0.32, p = 0.001), older age (B = 0.41, p = 0.002), male gender, diabetes, blood pressure, and family history of heart disease were significant predictors of subclinical IHD risk. In contrast, physical activity was protective (B = -0.42, p = 0.009).

Obese adults had a significant association between OSA risk and subclinical IHD risk. The most important predictors were OSA, age, male sex, diabetes, hypertension, and family history, with physical activity exhibiting a protective effect. The burden of overt cardiovascular disease can be alleviated by early detection and combined treatment of OSA and cardiovascular risks in obese persons.