High hypoxic burden in patients with obstructive sleep apnea was associated with lower heart rate variability compared to low hypoxic burden (32.03 vs 35.46; p=0.04).
Observational (n=124)
Does high hypoxic burden reduce heart rate variability in adults with obstructive sleep apnea?
Higher hypoxic burden in obstructive sleep apnea is associated with reduced heart rate variability, suggesting it may serve as a physiological marker for cardiovascular risk stratification.
Absolute Event Rate: 32.03% vs 35.46%
p-value: p=0.04
Objective: To investigate the association between hypoxic burden and heart rate variability parameters among a group of patients with diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Design and method: Adults (n=124) with obstructive sleep apnea underwent an overnight polysomnography examination with continuous electrocardiography (ECG). Hypoxic burden was quantified from nocturnal oxygen saturation data. Participants were stratified due to median hypoxic burden into a high (14.61±6.01) and low (85.98±74.74) hypoxic burden group. Heart rate variability metrics were derived from normal-to-normal intervals and included heart rate variability, the standard deviation of successive differences (SDSD), the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), low frequency power (LF) power and very low frequency power (VLF) power. Results: Compared with low hypoxic burden group, patients with high hypoxic burden presented lower heart rate variability (35.46±11.45 vs. 32.03±9.94, p=0.04) as well as lower SDSD (29.55±23.50 vs 23.53±13.74, p=0.04), RMSSD (40.09±27.06 vs 31.39±16.74, p=0.01), LF (1031.28±1339.84 vs 576.01±601.97, p=0.005) power during daytime and VLF (899.49±936.68 vs 673.29±798.59, p=0.004) power during the day. A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and mean heart rate variability (r= -0.19, p= 0.19) Conclusions: Higher hypoxic burden in obstructive sleep apnea was associated with reduced heart rate variability across both time- and frequency domains, consistent with attenuated autonomic modulation during sleep. Hypoxic burden may therefore represent a valuable physiological marker for improved cardiovascular phenotyping and risk stratification in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Martynowicz et al. (Fri,) conducted a observational in Obstructive sleep apnea (n=124). High hypoxic burden vs. Low hypoxic burden was evaluated on Heart rate variability (p=0.04). High hypoxic burden in patients with obstructive sleep apnea was associated with lower heart rate variability compared to low hypoxic burden (32.03 vs 35.46; p=0.04).