Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep-breathing disorders are associated with inflammatory, metabolic, and vascular diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of stroke and death in patients with sleep-breathing disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS The anthropometric characteristics, demographic data, and incidence of stroke of 1492 Chinese patients with mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea were collected. The apnea-hypopnea index was used to define sleep-breathing disorders. Imaging modalities were used to validate the diagnosis of stroke. Death during hospitalization or during follow-up was noted. Multivariate analysis was performed for the incidence of stroke and mortality at the 95% of confidence level. RESULTS Among enrolled patients, 401 (27%) patients had at least 1 event of stroke. Patients who had at least 1 event of stroke were more likely to be younger (p<0.0001), female (p=0.0013), and to have comorbidities. Among enrolled patients, 127 died due to stroke or other diseases. Sixteen of the patients who died had no stroke event(s) and 111 patients who died had at least 1 event of stroke. Stroke events (p=0.023) and biomedical burden of patients were associated with the death of patients with sleep-breathing disorders. CONCLUSIONS Age, sex, and the other existing disease(s) of patients with sleep-breathing disorders may be associated with stroke event(s). Also, stroke event(s) and comorbidities may be associated with mortality in this Chinese population.