Sleep Medicine: Sleep Apnea And Diabetes
Sleep Medicine: Sleep Apnea And Diabetes
Date: 30 Oct 2006
Medical News
According to new research, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and diabetes mellitus (DM) may be associated. Using the electronic charts of patients referred for sleep studies over one year, researchers from Quillen College of Medicine in Tennessee identified 127 patients with DM. Data collected included age, gender, and body mass index, as well as the presence of the kidney condition microalbuminuria; microvascular complications, such as retinopathy/neuropathy; or macrovascular complications, such as coronary artery disease and stroke. Overall, OSAS was directly related to microalbuminuria, microvascular, and macrovascular complications. Researchers concluded that, despite being independent diseases, OSAS might directly contribute to DM complications.
Men With Apnea May Be Sleepier Than Women
Men with mild obstructive sleep apnea may have more sleep fragmentation and daytime symptoms than their female counterparts, according to a new study from Marshall University. Researchers assessed the differences in clinical presentation and polysomnographic profile between 31 men and 32 women with mild obstructive sleep apnea. In all, 12 parameters were examined, in which 3 of them showed a significant difference between the sexes. Men had more witnessed apnea, spent more time in stage 1 sleep, and less time in stage 2 sleep, than women. As a result, researchers suggest that physicians may consider a lower continuous positive airway pressure therapy threshold for men.
