Role of chemosensitivity: Possible pathophysiological mediator of obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes show some mutual promotion of disease development. Variation in chemosensitivity is a key contributor to the pathophysiological mechanisms causing OSA and type 2 diabetes. According to studies conducted thus far, people with OSA or type 2 diabetes may have higher chemoreflex levels, but it is challenging to identify the precise changes because of variations in participant characteristics, the severity of the disease at the time of recruitment, and the small sample sizes in each study. Lowering chemosensitivity may also be viewed as a new issue for individuals with OSA and type 2 diabetes who require personalized care. The purpose of this review was to give an overview of chemosensitivity changes in OSA and glucose metabolism, as well as prospective therapeutic treatments for patients with OSA and type 2 diabetes. (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes have a mutually promoting effect on disease development. Variation in chemosensitivity plays a key role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA and type 2 diabetes. Previous studies suggest that individuals with OSA or type 2 diabetes may have higher chemoreflex levels, but identifying precise changes is challenging due to participant variations, disease severity at recruitment, and small sample sizes. Lowering chemosensitivity is a potential new concern for personalized care of individuals with OSA and type 2 diabetes. This review provides an overview of chemosensitivity changes in OSA and glucose metabolism, as well as prospective therapeutic treatments for patients with OSA and type 2 diabetes.