Association between chronotypes and comorbidities in obstructive sleep apnea: The age effect.

Area of Science:

• Sleep Medicine
• Circadian Biology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is linked to increased cardiometabolic risk.
• Chronotype, a marker of circadian rhythm, may influence this association.
• Age-related differences in chronotype's impact on OSA comorbidities are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate chronotypes in OSA patients.
• To examine the association between chronotype, age, and comorbidity risk.
• To determine if chronotype can serve as a clinical marker for OSA comorbidities.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 671 adult OSA patients.
• Assessment of medical history, questionnaires, and sleep testing (polysomnography or home sleep testing).
• Chronotype assessed using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ); comorbidities identified via medical history and treatment.

Main Results:

• Morning chronotype associated with higher prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (p < 0.05).
• These associations were stronger in individuals younger than 60 years.
• Evening chronotype was linked to higher depression rates, irrespective of age.

Conclusions:

• In newly diagnosed OSA patients, morning chronotype is associated with cardiometabolic comorbidities, particularly in younger and middle-aged adults.
• The association between morning chronotype and cardiometabolic risk diminishes in older individuals.
• Chronotype may be a useful adjunctive clinical marker for identifying comorbidity risk in specific age groups within the OSA population.