Diabetic patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea showed a 58% increase in all-cause mortality.
Summary: A study conducted by researchers at Charles University in Prague has found that obstructive sleep apnea significantly increases mortality risk in individuals with diabetes mellitus. The findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, reveal that untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea raises the risk of all-cause mortality by 58% in diabetic patients. The study emphasizes the importance of routine screening and targeted treatment for sleep-disordered breathing in this population to improve long-term outcomes.
Key Takeaways:
- OSA and Mortality Risk: Untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea increases all-cause mortality risk by 58% in diabetic patients.
- Oxygen Saturation Link: Maintaining an average oxygen saturation level above 91.4% during sleep was associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
- Call for Screening and Treatment: Researchers stress the need for comprehensive screening protocols and targeted therapeutic approaches to manage sleep apnea in diabetic patients effectively.
A study conducted by researchers from Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, has uncovered a significant link between obstructive sleep apnea and increased mortality among individuals with diabetes mellitus.
The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, highlights the need for improved screening and treatment strategies for diabetic patients experiencing sleep-disordered breathing.
Obstructive sleep apnea is known to be associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease and other health complications in the general population. However, data on its specific impact on mortality in diabetic patients have been scarce until now. This new study study involves over 5,700 participants, including 453 individuals with diabetes.
Markedly Higher Risk of Death Among Diabetics With Sleep Apnea
According to the findings, diabetic patients who experienced moderate to severe sleep apnea syndrome faced a markedly higher risk of death compared to those without significant sleep disturbances. Specifically, untreated patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea showed a 58% increase in all-cause mortality. The study also demonstrated that maintaining an average oxygen saturation level above 91.4% during sleep was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality.
“Our research confirms that sleep-disordered breathing substantially worsens the already elevated mortality risk in individuals with diabetes,” says Jan Polak, PhD, the study’s lead author and a professor at the Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, in a release. “These findings underscore the importance of routine screening for OSA in diabetic patients and highlight the need for targeted therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.”
Interestingly, while parameters such as sleep efficiency and the proportion of rapid eye movement sleep have been linked to mortality risk in the general population, they did not exhibit a similar impact on diabetic patients in this study. This suggests that different pathophysiological mechanisms may be at play in individuals with diabetes, warranting further research.
Need for Better Management of Sleep Disorders
Funding for the research was provided by the National Institute for Research of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases under the European Union’s Next Generation EU program, with additional support from the Czech Ministry of Health. Researchers say the study is expected to contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at reducing the health burden of diabetes and improving long-term patient outcomes through better management of sleep disorders.
“Given the significant increase in mortality risk associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, early diagnosis and timely intervention are crucial,” says Polak in a release. “We hope that our findings will encourage healthcare providers to adopt more comprehensive screening protocols for diabetic patients. Further research is warranted to identify optimal treatment options for diabetes patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.”