Association between sleep-disordered breathing and post-stroke fatigue in patients with ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVES: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is common and often disabling. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent among stroke survivors and can cause fatigue. We explored the relationship between SDB and PSF over time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ischemic stroke (IS) patients within the BASIC project were offered SDB screening with a well-validated cardiopulmonary sleep apnea test at 0, 3-, 6-, and 12-months post-stroke. The primary exposure was the respiratory event index (REI; sum of apneas plus hypopneas per hour). The primary outcome was PSF, measured by the SF-36 vitality scale. Associations between REI and PSF were evaluated using linear regression including time-by-REI interactions, allowing the effect of REI to vary over time. RESULTS: Of the 411 IS patients who completed at least one outcome interview, 44 % were female, 61 % Mexican American (MA), 26 % non-Hispanic white, with a mean age of 64 (SD 10). Averaged across timepoints, REI was not associated with PSF. In a time-varying model, higher REI was associated with greater PSF at 3-months (ß = 1.75, CI = 0.08, 3.43), but not at 6- or 12-months. Across timepoints, female sex, depressive symptoms, and comorbidity burden were associated with greater PSF, whereas MA ethnicity was associated with less PSF. CONCLUSIONS: Higher REI was associated with modestly greater PSF in the early post-stroke period, but no association was observed at 6 months and beyond. SDB may be a modest modifiable risk factor for early PSF, but its treatment is unlikely to have a substantial impact on long-term PSF. MA ethnicity seems to be protective against PSF.

Multiple, objectively measured sleep dimensions including hypoxic burden and chronic kidney disease: findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep may contribute to chronic kidney disease (CKD) through several pathways, including hypoxia-induced systemic and intraglomerular pressure, inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. However, few studies have investigated the association between multiple objectively measured sleep dimensions and CKD. METHODS: We investigated the cross-sectional association between sleep dimensions and CKD among 1895 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Sleep Ancillary Study participants who completed in-home polysomnography, wrist actigraphy and a sleep questionnaire. Using Poisson regression models with robust variance, we estimated separate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% CIs for moderate-to-severe CKD (glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or albuminuria >30 mg/g) among participants according to multiple sleep dimensions, including very short (≤5 hours) sleep, Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index and sleep apnoea-specific hypoxic burden (SASHB) (total area under the respiratory event-related desaturation curve divided by total sleep duration, %min/hour)). Regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviours and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 1895 participants, mean age was 68.2±9.1 years, 54% were women, 37% were white, 28% black, 24% Hispanic/Latino and 11% Asian. Several sleep metrics were associated with higher adjusted PR of moderate-to-severe CKD: very short versus recommended sleep duration (PR=1.40, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.83); SASHB (Box-Cox transformed SASHB: PR=1.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.12); and for participants in the highest quintile of SASHB plus sleep apnoea: PR=1.28, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.63. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep apnoea associated hypoxia and very short sleep, likely representing independent biological mechanisms, were associated with a higher moderate-to-severe CKD prevalence, which highlights the potential role for novel interventions.

Risk factors for poor asthma control and impaired quality of life in a Caribbean population.

OBJECTIVE: Asthma, a major cause of disability and reduced quality of life, has a high global prevalence and burden of death. Despite the propitious guidelines, a substantial portion of asthmatics reportedly have poorly controlled disease. In the current study, we have examined risk factors for uncontrolled asthma in specialty clinics and its association with impaired quality of life. METHODS: A multicentre cross-sectional survey of asthma patients, 18 years and older, was conducted in Trinidad. Asthma Control Test (ACT) and the Juniper Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini AQLQ-J) were used to assess the disease control and quality of life, respectively. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression controlling for gender. RESULTS: Of a total of 428 patients included, asthma was uncontrolled in 72.4% and asthma related quality of life was moderate to severely impaired in 86% of the studied population. In the multivariate regression models, poorly controlled asthma was associated with obesity (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.30-3.39), late-onset asthma (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.04-2.84), features of sleep apnea (OR 1.77; 95% CI 1.01-3.07) and depression (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.04-3.86). Impaired quality of life was associated with Indo-Caribbean ethnicity (OR 3.19; 95% CI = 1.68-6.06). CONCLUSIONS: In this Caribbean population, uncontrolled asthma was independently associated with obesity, late-onset disease, and comorbidities of sleep apnea and depression. Poor asthma-related quality of life was independently associated with Indo-Caribbean ethnicity.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Hebrew version of the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire: a prospective, non-randomized control trial.

PURPOSE: Left untreated, obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) are associated with adverse effects on growth and development. History and physical examination alone are used for diagnosing children with OSDB, as polysomnography is not always feasible. Our objective was to develop and validate a Hebrew version of the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) to help to diagnose and follow-up children before and after adenotonsillectomy surgery for OSDB. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, nonrandomized, controlled trial in an academic medical center. We enrolled parents of children younger than 5 years of age planned for tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy due to obstructive airway indication. The parents completed the validated Hebrew version of PSQ questionnaire before and after surgery. We translated the questionnaire through forward-backward translation method. Our main outcome measures were reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Hebrew version of PSQ. RESULTS: Overall, 45 parents of children with OSDB and 34 controls filled out the questionnaires. We found significant differences between the PSQ scores before and after surgery (p < 0.001). The Hebrew version of PSQ results after surgery were similar to those of the control group (p = 0.206), as expected. We found high reliability of the Hebrew version of PSQ before surgery (α = 0.931). The translated PSQ had a high specificity (87.9%) and sensitivity (77.3%) to identify children with OSDB. CONCLUSION: The Hebrew version of the validated PSQ for parents to children with OSDB can be used as a reliable screening and diagnostic tool to identify children suffering from OSDB, when polysomnography is not feasible.

Association Between Sleep Apnea and Blood Pressure Control Among Blacks.

BACKGROUND: Blacks have a high prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), each of which may be partially explained by untreated sleep apnea. We investigated the association of sleep apnea with uncontrolled BP and resistant hypertension in blacks. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2016, Jackson Heart Sleep Study participants (N=913) underwent an in-home Type 3 sleep apnea study, clinic BP measurements, and anthropometry. Moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was defined as a respiratory event index ≥15, and nocturnal hypoxemia was quantified as percent sleep time with <90% oxyhemoglobin saturation. Prevalent hypertension was defined as either a systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP >80mm Hg, use of antihypertensive medication, or self-report of a diagnosis of hypertension. Controlled BP was defined as systolic BP <130 mm Hg and diastolic BP <80 mm Hg; uncontrolled BP as systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg with use of 1 to 2 classes of antihypertensive medication; and resistant BP as systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg with the use of ≥3 classes of antihypertensive medication (including a diuretic) or use of ≥4 classes of antihypertensive medication regardless of BP level. Multinomial logistic regression models were fit to determine the association between OSA severity and uncontrolled BP or resistant hypertension (versus controlled BP) after multivariable adjustment. RESULTS: The analytic sample with hypertension (N=664) had a mean age of 64.0 (SD,10.6) years, and were predominately female (69.1%), obese (58.6%), and college educated (51.3%). Among the sample, 25.7% had OSA, which was untreated in 94% of participants. Overall, 48% of participants had uncontrolled hypertension and 14% had resistant hypertension. After adjustment for confounders, participants with moderate or severe OSA had a 2.0 times higher odds of resistant hypertension (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-3.67). Each standard deviation higher than <90% oxyhemoglobin saturation was associated with an adjusted odds ratio for resistant hypertension of 1.25 (95% CI 1.01-1.55). OSA and <90% oxyhemoglobin saturation were not associated with uncontrolled BP. CONCLUSION: Untreated moderate or severe OSA is associated with increased odds of resistant hypertension. These results suggest that untreated OSA may contribute to inadequate BP control in blacks.

Associations between ankle-brachial index, diabetes, and sleep apnea in the Hispanic community health study/study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) database.

BACKGROUND: Sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus (DM) negatively impact cardiovascular health. One important indicator of cardiovascular health is the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI). Either low ABI or high ABI are signs of peripheral vascular impairment. Impaired vascular health and DM, together, might provoke sleep apnea; however, information regarding these relationships is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between ABI, DM status, and severity of obstructive sleep apnea in people of Hispanic/Latino descent who are diverse in culture, environmental exposures, nativity, socioeconomic status, and disease burden. METHODS: A cross sectional analysis from a multi-center epidemiologic study, Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, was utilized and included 3779 participants (mean age 55.32 ± 7.67, females 57.9%). The sample was divided into 4 groups based on the American Diabetes Association diagnostic guidelines (no DM or DM), and the ABI status (normal and abnormal). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the association of the four groups and other independent variables with severity of sleep apnea measured by apnea-hypopnea index. Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparisons between groups for the apnea-hypopnea index. The significant level was set at 0.01. RESULTS: There were significant differences between groups in the mean of apnea-hypopnea index (P < 0.001; no DM + normal ABI = 5.42 ± 9.66, no DM + abnormal ABI = 7.11 ± 11.63, DM + normal ABI = 10.99 ± 15.16, DM + abnormal ABI = 12.81 ± 17.80). Linear regression showed that DM and abnormal ABI were significantly associated with severe sleep apnea (ß = 3.25, P = 0.001) after controlling for age, sex, BMI, income, education, alcohol use, cigarette use, hypertension or related medication, stroke and statin use. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that people with DM and abnormal ABI were more likely to have high apnea-hypopnea index compared to the other groups. We observed gradual increasing in the severity of sleep apnea from low abnormality groups to high abnormality groups for Hispanic/Latino. Further work should elucidate the association of DM, abnormal ABI and sleep apnea with longer term outcomes, and replicate this work in different populations.

Utilization of surgical treatment for sleep apnea: A study of health disparities.

OBJECTIVE: Barriers to surgical treatment for sleep apnea remain understudied. In this study, we sought to evaluate whether specific demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are associated with whether or not patients receive surgery for sleep apnea management. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was analyzed for 2007-2014. Patients aged 18 or older with primary or secondary diagnoses of sleep apnea were selected. Patients were sub-categorized by whether they received related soft-tissue removal or skeletal modifying procedures. Age, race, gender, region, insurance, comorbidities, procedure type, and procedure setting were analyzed between surgical and nonsurgical groups. RESULTS: A total of 449,705 patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of sleep apnea were identified, with 27,841 (5.8%) receiving surgical intervention. Compared with the non-surgical group, patients in the surgical cohort were more likely to be younger, male (74.4% vs. 59.0%), Hispanic (10.2% vs. 6.2%), Asian (3.6% vs. 1.0%) (p < 0.001), and have less clinical comorbidities. Those receiving surgery were more likely to be in the highest income bracket (36.1% versus 25.1%) and utilize private insurance (76.3% vs. 50.8%). Soft-tissue surgeries comprised 88.5% of total procedures while skeletal modifying procedures constituted 11.5% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified multiple demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical discrepancies in the utilization of surgical versus nonsurgical management of sleep apnea in the United States. Future studies should examine the causes for these health disparities in the ultimate effort to provide more equitable healthcare in the United States.

[Chinese expert consensus on the assessment and management of stroke-related sleep disorders].

Stroke-related sleep disorders (SSD) are common symptoms after stroke, which are common but easily ignored. Studies have shown that sleep disorders in stroke patients would have negative impact on prognosis. However, there is still a lack of consensus and guidance on SSD evaluation and management worldwide. This consensus proposes the concept of SSD based on systemic literature review and discussion with experts. It comprises recommendations of assessment and management for all types of SSD, including insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep apnea, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, restless leg syndrome/periodic limb movements of sleep, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders. The purpose of this consensus is to provide a standard reference of SSD management.

Association between sleep disordered breathing and electrocardiographic markers of atrial abnormalities: the MESA study.

AIMS: Electrocardiographic (ECG) markers of left atrial (LA) abnormalities have been linked to increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has been associated with increased risk of AF. We aimed to examine the association of ECG markers of LA abnormalities with SDB. METHODS AND RESULTS: 1546 participants (mean age 67.2 years, 53.4% women, and 63.3% non-whites) from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Exam 5 Sleep ancillary study were included in this analysis. ECG markers of LA abnormalities (P wave terminal force in V1 (PTFV1), maximum P wave duration, PR interval and heart rate corrected PR interval) were measured from resting standard digital ECG tracings using standardized processing. Linear and logistic regression analyses were utilized to examine the cross-sectional associations of measures of SDB (apnea hypopnea index [AHI] and % time spent with oxygen saturation <90% [%SpO290]) with each ECG marker. In a multivariable analysis adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and comorbidities, AHI was associated with greater PTFV1 but not with other ECG markers of LA abnormalities. A 1-SD increase of AHI (16.6/hr) was associated with higher levels of PTFV1 (175.1 µV.ms, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 75.4, 274.7) and higher odds of abnormally elevated PTFV1 (≥4000 µV.ms) (Odds Ratio: 1.21 [95%CI 1.05, 1.39]). No association was found between %SpO290 and ECG markers of LA abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Severity of SDB, as measured by AHI, is associated with subclinical LA disease, as indicated by PTFV1. PTFV1 may be an important ECG marker linking SDB and AF.

Better Indigenous Risk stratification for Cardiac Health study (BIRCH) protocol: rationale and design of a cross-sectional and prospective cohort study to identify novel cardiovascular risk indicators in Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander adults.

BACKGROUND: Of the estimated 10-11 year life expectancy gap between Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and non-Indigenous Australians, approximately one quarter is attributable to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Risk prediction of CVD is imperfect, but particularly limited for Indigenous Australians. The BIRCH (Better Indigenous Risk stratification for Cardiac Health) project aims to identify and assess existing and novel markers of early disease and risk in Indigenous Australians to optimise health outcomes in this disadvantaged population. It further aims to determine whether these markers are relevant in non-Indigenous Australians. METHODS/DESIGN: BIRCH is a cross-sectional and prospective cohort study of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adults (≥ 18 years) living in remote, regional and urban locations. Participants will be assessed for CVD risk factors, left ventricular mass and strain via echocardiography, sleep disordered breathing and quality via home-based polysomnography or actigraphy respectively, and plasma lipidomic profiles via mass spectrometry. Outcome data will comprise CVD events and death over a period of five years. DISCUSSION: Results of BIRCH may increase understanding regarding the factors underlying the increased burden of CVD in Indigenous Australians in this setting. Further, it may identify novel markers of early disease and risk to inform the development of more accurate prediction equations. Better identification of at-risk individuals will promote more effective primary and secondary preventive initiatives to reduce Indigenous Australian health disadvantage.

Asthma and subjective sleep disordered breathing in a large cohort of urban adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) has not been well studied in urban adolescents with asthma in community settings. Nor has the association of SDB symptoms and asthma severity been studied. We characterized self-reported symptoms suggesting SDB and investigated the association of SDB symptoms, probable asthma, and asthma severity. METHODS: 9,565 adolescents from 21 inner-city high schools were screened for an asthma intervention study. Students reported on symptoms suggesting SDB using questions from the 2007 NHANES, if they were ever diagnosed with asthma, and on asthma symptoms. Using generalized linear mixed models with logit link with school as a random intercept and adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity, we examined associations of SDB symptoms, and demographic characteristics, probable asthma, and asthma severity. RESULTS: 12% reported SDB symptoms. Older and bi-racial participants (compared to Caucasian) had higher odds of symptoms suggesting SDB (p <.001). Compared to those without probable asthma, adolescents with probable asthma had 2.63 greater odds of reporting SDB symptoms (p <.001). Among those with probable asthma, the odds of reporting SDB symptoms increased with asthma severity. When exploring daytime severity and severity due to night wakening separately, results were similar. All results remained significant when controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: In a large urban community cohort of predominately ethnic minority adolescents, self-reported SDB symptoms were associated with probable asthma and increased asthma severity. This study highlights the importance of SDB as a modifiable co-morbidity of asthma.

The Association Between Sociodemographic Factors, Common Systemic Diseases, and Keratoconus: An Analysis of a Nationwide Heath Care Claims Database.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an association exists between common systemic diseases, sociodemographic factors, and keratoconus (KCN) among a large, diverse group of insured individuals in the United States. DESIGN: Retrospective longitudinal cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen thousand fifty-three patients with KCN were matched 1:1 with persons without KCN. METHODS: Persons with KCN were identified using billing codes and matched by age, gender, and overall health with a control group with no record of KCN. Multivariable logistic regression assessed whether sociodemographic factors and certain systemic diseases affected the odds of KCN. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of receiving a KCN diagnosis. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, black persons had 57% higher odds (adjusted OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.38-1.79; P < 0.001) and Latino persons had 43% higher odds (adjusted OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.26-1.62; P < 0.001) of being diagnosed with KCN compared with whites. Asians had 39% reduced odds (adjusted OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.50-0.75; P < 0.001) of being diagnosed with KCN compared with whites. Patients with uncomplicated diabetes mellitus (DM) had 20% lower odds of KCN (adjusted OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.71-0.90; P = 0.002), and patients with DM complicated by end-organ damage had 52% lower odds of having KCN (adjusted OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.40-0.58; P < 0.001) compared with those without DM. Persons with collagen vascular disease had 35% lower odds of KCN (adjusted OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47-0.91; P = 0.01). Other conditions found to have increased odds of KCN included sleep apnea (adjusted OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.00-1.27; P = 0.05), asthma (adjusted OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.17-1.47; P < 0.001), and Down syndrome (adjusted OR, 6.22; 95% CI, 2.08-18.66; P < 0.001). There was no association between KCN and allergic rhinitis, mitral valve disorder, aortic aneurysm, or depression (P > 0.1 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians caring for persons with KCN should inquire about breathing or sleeping and, when appropriate, refer patients for evaluation for sleep apnea or asthma. Patients with DM have lower risk of KCN, potentially because of corneal glycosylation.

Sleep apnea is independently associated with peripheral arterial disease in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep apnea (SA) has been linked with various forms of cardiovascular disease, but little is known about its association with peripheral artery disease (PAD) measured using the ankle-brachial index. This relationship was evaluated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We studied 8367 Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos participants who were 45 to 74 years of age. Sleep symptoms were examined with the self-reported Sleep Health Questionnaire. SA was assessed using an in-home sleep study. Systolic blood pressure was measured in all extremities to compute the ankle-brachial index. PAD was defined as ankle-brachial index <0.90 in either leg. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the association between moderate-to-severe SA, defined as apnea-hypopnea index ≥15, and the presence of PAD. Analyses were adjusted for covariates. The prevalence of PAD was 4.7% (n=390). The mean apnea-hypopnea index was significantly higher among adults with PAD compared with those without (11.1 versus 8.6 events/h; P=0.046). After adjusting for covariates, moderate-to-severe SA was associated with a 70% increase in the odds of PAD (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.5; P=0.0152). This association was not modified by sex (P=0.8739). However, there was evidence that the association between moderate-to-severe SA and PAD varied by Hispanic/Latino background (P<0.01). Specifically, the odds were stronger in Mexican (adjusted odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-6.2) and in Puerto Rican Americans (adjusted odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-4.2) than in other backgrounds. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-to-severe SA is associated with higher odds of PAD in Hispanic/Latino adults.

Prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in a multiethnic Asian population in Singapore: A community-based study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Limited data exist on the prevalence variation in sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) across different Asian ethnicities. This population study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SDB in Singapore, a multiethnic nation, and to quantify the prevalence variation among Chinese, Malays and Indians. METHODS: The Singapore Health Study 2012 was a cross-sectional population study conducted on adults aged 21-79 years. Among 2329 participants who completed baseline examination, a sample of 242 subjects completed home-based sleep testing with an Embletta device (type 3 monitor). Moderate-to-severe SDB, defined as an apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) of ≥15 events/h, was used to estimate prevalence. RESULTS: The weighted estimates of the population prevalence of moderate-to-severe SDB and sleep apnoea syndrome were 30.5% and 18.1%, respectively. Of subjects with AHI ≥15, 91.0% were previously undiagnosed. Moderate-to-severe SDB prevalence varied across the Chinese (32.1%), Malays (33.8%) and Indians (16.5%). The mean body mass index (BMI) was lowest in Chinese (23.3 kg/m(2) ) and highest among Malays (26.0 kg/m(2) ) and Indians (25.4 kg/m(2) ). Compared with Chinese, Indians had lower odds of moderate-to-severe SDB after adjustment for age, sex and BMI (odds ratio 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.96, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Sleep-disordered breathing is prevalent but mostly undiagnosed among Asians in Singapore. There was a lower prevalence of SDB among Indians compared with Chinese that remained after adjustment for age, sex and BMI. Strategies are needed to optimize diagnosis and recognize ethnic differences in SDB prevalence.

Self-Reported Sleep Disordered Breathing as Risk Factor for Mortality in the Elderly.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the association between self-reported sleep disordered breathing (SDB) ("awaken short of breath or with a headache") and mortality in a large and ethnically diverse group of community-dwelling elderly people. METHODS: A total of 1288 participants, 65 years and older, were examined longitudinally. Sleep problems were estimated using the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale examining sleep disturbance, snoring, awaken short of breath or with a headache, sleep adequacy, and sleep somnolence. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the association between sleep problems and mortality. Age, gender, education, ethnicity, and body mass index were included as covariates. In further analyses we included hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke as additional covariates. RESULTS: The participants were followed for up to 6 years (mean = 2.9, standard deviation = 1.1), and 239 (18.6%) participants died during the follow-up. In unadjusted models, SDB at the initial visit was associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-1.55; P < .0001). After adjusting for all the covariates, the relationship between SDB and mortality remained significant (HR = 1.48; 95% CI 1.29-1.70; P < .0001). Participants with Caribbean-Hispanic ancestry have higher risk for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that SDB is a risk factor for mortality in a large and ethnically diverse group of older adults, independent of demographic and clinical factors. Further research is needed to examine the underlying mechanisms of this association.

Sleep-disordered breathing in Hispanic/Latino individuals of diverse backgrounds. The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

RATIONALE: Hispanic/Latino populations have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and may be at risk for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). An understanding of SDB among these populations is needed given evidence that SDB increases cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVES: To quantify SDB prevalence in the U.S. Hispanic/Latino population and its association with symptoms, risk factors, diabetes, and hypertension; and to explore variation by sex and Hispanic/Latino background. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis from the baseline examination of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was derived from standardized sleep tests; diabetes and hypertension were based on measurement and history. The sample of 14,440 individuals had an age-adjusted prevalence of minimal SDB (AHI ≥ 5), moderate SDB (AHI ≥ 15), and severe SDB (AHI ≥ 30) of 25.8, 9.8, and 3.9%, respectively. Only 1.3% of participants reported a sleep apnea diagnosis. Moderate SDB was associated with being male (adjusted odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-3.1), obese (16.8; 11.6-24.4), and older. SDB was associated with an increased adjusted odds of impaired glucose tolerance (1.7; 1.3-2.1), diabetes (2.3; 1.8-2.9), and hypertension. The association with hypertension varied across background groups with the strongest associations among individuals of Puerto Rican and Central American background. CONCLUSIONS: SDB is prevalent in U.S. Latinos but rarely associated with a clinical diagnosis. Associations with diabetes and hypertension suggest a large burden of disease may be attributed to untreated SDB, supporting the development and evaluation of culturally relevant detection and treatment approaches.

Sleep apnea risk among mexican american and non-Hispanic white stroke survivors.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Sleep apnea is a modifiable independent stroke risk factor and is associated with poor stroke outcomes. Mexican Americans have a higher incidence of stroke than non-Hispanic whites. In a biethnic community, we sought to determine the frequency of screening, testing, and treatment of sleep apnea among stroke survivors and to compare self-perceived risk of sleep apnea with actual risk. METHODS: A survey was mailed to ischemic stroke survivors in the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project. The survey included the validated sleep apnea screening tool, the Berlin questionnaire, and queried the frequency of sleep apnea screening by symptoms, formal sleep testing, and treatment. Self-perceived risk and actual high risk of sleep apnea were compared using McNemar's test. RESULTS: Of the 193 respondents (49% response rate), 54% were Mexican American. Forty-eight percent of respondents had a high risk of sleep apnea based on the Berlin questionnaire, whereas only 19% thought they were likely to have sleep apnea (P<0.01). There was no difference in the proportion of respondents at high risk of sleep apnea between Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites (48% versus 51%, P=0.73). Less than 20% of respondents had undergone sleep apnea screening, testing, or treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke survivors perceive their risk of sleep apnea to be lower than their actual risk. Despite a significant proportion of both Mexican American and non-Hispanic white stroke survivors at high risk of sleep apnea, few undergo symptom screening, testing, or treatment. Both stroke survivors and physicians may benefit from educational interventions.

Characteristics of sleep-disordered breathing in Japanese patients with acromegaly.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), especially sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAS), is often observed in patients with active acromegaly. This complication is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and associated with increased morbidity and mortality in acromegaly. However there is little information on SDB in Japanese patients with acromegaly. We investigated the prevalence of SDB and association between the severity of SDB and various features and biomarkers in Japanese patients with acromegaly. Twenty-four Japanese patients with active acromegaly underwent overnight cardiorespiratory monitoring, hormonal assays and cephalometric measurements on X-ray. A high prevalence of SDB was detected in acromegaly (87.5%). Log apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) correlated positively with soft palate length / body height (X-ray) (r=0.44, p=0.043), but not with log growth hormone levels and insulin-like growth factor type-1 standard deviation scores, size of pituitary adenoma, disease duration, body mass index, waist circumference, estimated visceral fat area, heel pad thickness / height, tongue thickness/ height, or oropharyngeal dimension/ height. In conclusion, our study demonstrated a high prevalence of SDB in Japanese patients with acromegaly, and its severity correlated with soft palate length. Based on the high incidence of SDB identified in the present study, we recommend that all patients with acromegaly are routinely screened for SDB for early diagnosis and treatment.

Association of prepro-orexin polymorphism with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Because of the potential role of orexin neuronal circuitry in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness and arousal and breathing, it seems reasonable to speculate that abnormalities in the prepro-orexin gene could be relevant to studies of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS); and it might be a candidate gene in the pathogenesis of OSAHS. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human prepro-orexin gene are associated with OSAHS in Han Chinese people. METHODS: A total of 394 subjects (217 cases and 177 control subjects) were recruited from China. Diagnostic polysomnography was performed in all patients and control subjects. SNPs in potentially functional regions of the gene were identified; and genotypes, determined by direct sequencing. RESULTS: By sequencing the promoter, 2 exons, and the exon-intron junctions of the prepro-orexin gene, the g11182C>T SNP was identified. Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in the genotype distribution between patients with OSAHS and the control group (χ(2)(2) = 6.437, P = .04). Variant allele T of the g1182C>T polymorphism was more commonly found in patients with OSAHS as compared with control subjects (χ(2)(1) = 5.648, P = .017; odds ratio, 1.449; 95% confidence interval, 1.0466-1.968). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the prepro-orexin gene polymorphism g1182C>T is associated with susceptibility to OSAHS in Han Chinese. This study provides insights into the genetic information for future studies regarding this gene in OSAHS.

A composite sleep and pulmonary phenotype predicting hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Multiple aspects of sleep and Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) have been linked to hypertension. However, the standard measure of SDB, the Apnoea Hypopnea Index (AHI), has not identified patients likely to experience large improvements in blood pressure with SDB treatment. METHODS: To use machine learning to select sleep and pulmonary measures associated with hypertension development when considered jointly, we applied feature screening followed by Elastic Net penalized regression in association with incident hypertension using a wide array of polysomnography measures, and lung function, derived for the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS). FINDINGS: At baseline, n=860 SHHS individuals with complete data were age 61 years, on average. Of these, 291 developed hypertension ~5 years later. A combination of pulmonary function and 18 sleep phenotypes predicted incident hypertension (OR=1.43, 95% confidence interval [1.14, 1.80] per 1 standard deviation (SD) of the phenotype), while the apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) had low evidence of association with incident hypertension (OR =1.13, 95% confidence interval [0.97, 1.33] per 1 SD). In a generalization analysis in 923 individuals from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, aged 65 on average with 615 individuals with hypertension, the new phenotype was cross-sectionally associated with hypertension (OR=1.26, 95% CI [1.10, 1.45]). INTERPRETATION: A unique combination of sleep and pulmonary function measures better predicts hypertension compared to the AHI. The composite measure included indices capturing apnoea and hypopnea event durations, with shorter event lengths associated with increased risk of hypertension. FUNDING: This research was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) contracts HHSN268201500003I, N01-HC-95159, N01-HC-95160, N01-HC-95161, N01-HC-95162, N01-HC-95163, N01-HC-95164, N01-HC-95165, N01-HC-95166, N01-HC-95167, N01-HC-95168, and N01-HC-95169 and by National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences grants UL1-TR- 000040, UL1-TR-001079, and UL1-TR-001420. The MESA Sleep ancillary study was supported by NHLBI grant HL-56984. Pulmonary phenotyping in MESA was funded by NHLBI grants R01-HL077612 and R01-HL093081. This work was supported by NHLBI grant R35HL135818 to Susan Redline.