Relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and lifestyle-related illnesses in subjects who have undergone health-screening

Objective Simplified sleep polysomnography was performed in 207 adult men to examine the relationship between the frequency of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and lifestyle-related illness. Methods Each subject was checked for SDB using a simplified sleep polysomnograph (Auto-Set Portable; Teijin Limited, Tokyo, Japan). Apnea and hypopnea were detected with a nasal cannula type airflow sensor. Hypoxemia was checked with a percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO(2)) monitor. We analyzed the relationships between SDB and body mass index (BMI) and hypertension, hyperlipidemia, liver dysfunction, fatty liver, and abnormal glucose metabolism. Results Fifty-nine subjects (29%) showed SDB with apnea hypopnea index (AHI) over 15 times/h. The frequency of obesity (BMI >= 25), hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, fasting blood glucose level, and HbA1c were significantly higher in patients with SDB than in normal individuals (AHI<5 times/h). The frequencies of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and abnormal glucose metabolism were compared between the obesity-free normal AHI group and the SDB group, and only that of hypertension was significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions The present study revealed a high frequency of SDB among Japanese individuals. The results also suggest that as SDB becomes severe, it becomes more closely linked to the onset of lifestyle-related illnesses, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and abnormal glucose metabolism.