Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. We tested the hypothesis of an independent cross-sectional association between obstructive sleep apnea OSA severity and glycated hemoglobin HbA 1c in adults without known diabetes.
HbA 1c was measured in whole-blood samples from 2, patients undergoing nocturnal recording for suspected OSA. Our final sample size comprised 1, patients. Among adults without known diabetes, increasing OSA severity is independently associated with impaired glucose metabolism, as assessed by higher HbA 1c values, which may expose them to higher risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Obstructive sleep apnea OSA is a highly prevalent disease characterized by recurrent episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airways during sleep, leading to repeated falls in arterial oxygen saturation Sa o 2 and sleep fragmentation. OSA is recognized as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease 1 , including stroke 2 , coronary heart disease, and heart failure 3.
OSA and type 2 diabetes are common comorbid conditions 4. There is growing evidence in support of an independent association between OSA and impaired glucose metabolism 5.
Studies in animal and human models mimicking sleep-disordered breathing have identified several potential intermediate mechanisms linking OSA and impaired glucose metabolism, including intermittent hypoxia 6 , 7 and reduced sleep duration as a result of sleep fragmentation 8. Impaired glucose metabolism may be involved in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular complications of OSA 9. Glycated hemoglobin HbA 1c values reflect the 2- to 3-month average endogenous exposure to glucose, including postprandial spikes in the blood glucose level, and present low intraindividual variability, particularly in persons without diabetes.
