Prevalence and factors associated with atrial fibrillation in older patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Purpose This study sought to identify the prevalence and factors associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in older patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in China. Methods This was an explorative cross-sectional study. Between January 2015 and October 2017, we continuously recruited 1285 older patients with OSA who underwent overnight polysomnography from sleep centers of multiple hospitals. They were assessed using 12-lead ECG or 24-h dynamic ECG, and their baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, sleep parameters, and medical history were determined. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the factors related to AF in these older patients with OSA. Results The clinician classified 122 (9.5%) patients as having AF. The prevalence of AF significantly increased with age (P < 0.05) but did not significantly differ between the mild, moderate, and severe OSA groups. Additionally, the prevalence of paroxysmal AF was 7.2% among the overall study population, and it increased with OSA severity or advanced age (P < 0.05). Persistent AF was noted in 2.3% participants, and the prevalence also increased with age. The logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.054, 95%CI: 1.027-1.018, P < 0.001), history of drinking (OR = 1.752, 95%CI: 1.070-2.867, P < 0.05), chronic heart disease (OR = 1.778, 95%CI: 1.156-2.736, P < 0.01), diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.792, 95%CI: 1.183-2.713, P < 0.01), and reduced diastolic function (OR = 2.373, 95%CI = 1.298-4.337, P < 0.01) were relevant to AF among participants with OSA. Conclusion The prevalence of AF is significantly common in older patients with OSA. Age, history of drinking, chronic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and reduced diastolic function are independently related to AF in these patients.

Automated summary

This study aimed to identify the prevalence and factors associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in older patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in China. The results showed that the prevalence of AF significantly increased with age and was independently related to factors such as drinking history, chronic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and reduced diastolic function among patients with OSA.