Abstract
Background and Objectives: The association between syncope and sleep apnea (SA) has been scarcely investigated. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) may represent a shared pathophysiological mechanism. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SA in patients with syncope of unclear cause (SUC), identify potential associated factors, and evaluate nocturnal heart rate variability (HRV) as a marker of ANS function. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in adult patients diagnosed with SUC. Nocturnal cardiorespiratory polygraphy was performed to detect the presence of SA. A range of variables potentially associated with SA was collected. Both SA diagnosis and HRV parameters were assessed using the Embletta(®) MPR polygraph system. Results: A total of 156 patients were enrolled (57% male), with a mean age of 64 years and a mean body mass index of 27.5 kg/m(2) (range: 24.8-32.2). Hypertension was present in 46% of the cohort. The overall prevalence of SA was 78.2% (95% CI: 71.7-84.4%), with 28.7% classified as severe. Age (OR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07) and BMI (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06-1.28) were independent predictors of SA. Mean RR interval was significantly lower in patients with SA compared to those without (942 ms vs. 995 ms; p = 0.04). No significant differences in HRV parameters were observed between the two groups. Conclusions: This study found a high prevalence (nearly 78%) of SA among adult patients with SUC, particularly in individuals over 50 years of age and those who were overweight. However, this association could not be predicted based on clinical variables alone. No significant differences in nocturnal HRV were detected between patients with SUC with and without SA.