Key result
Obstructive sleep apnoea severity was associated with increased nocturnal systolic blood pressure, showing a 3.63 increase for every 10 events/hour increase in the AHI (95% CI 0.42-6.83; p=0.032).
Why the study?
Does obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity associate with adverse nocturnal blood pressure patterns and autonomic dysfunction in hypertensive patients?
Observational (n=86)
No
Does obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity associate with adverse nocturnal blood pressure patterns and autonomic dysfunction in hypertensive patients?
Effect estimate: β = 3.63 per 10 events/hour increase in AHI (95% CI 0.42-6.83)
p-value: p=0.032
Greater obstructive sleep apnoea severity is associated with higher nocturnal systolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients, highlighting the potential value of concurrent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and OSA screening.
OSA severity was associated with higher nocturnal SBP; supports concurrent monitoring but leaves causal effects open for RCTs.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity with nocturnal blood pressure patterns, blood pressure variability (BPV), and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with hypertension. STUDY DESIGN: An observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Cardiac Function Laboratory, Department of Cardiology, Xianning Central Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianming, China, from January 2024 to May 2025. METHODOLOGY: Adult hypertensive patients who underwent polysomnography (PSG) were analysed. OSA severity was defined by the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI). Available ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and Holter data were used to assess nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP) fall, non-dipping, BPV, and HRV. Group comparisons were performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, the chi-square test, or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Spearman's correlation and regression analyses were performed where appropriate. RESULTS: Eighty-six patients comprised the PSG cohort; 44 had ABPM data, and 60 had HRV data. Body mass index differed across OSA severity categories (severe OSA: 30.00 [27.92-33.60] kg/m2; p = 0.001). In the ABPM+PSG sub-cohort, nocturnal SBP fall showed a decreasing trend with increasing OSA severity (severe OSA: 2.43 [-1.89 to 7.68%]; p = 0.105). For every 10 events/hour increase in the AHI, nocturnal SBP increased after adjustment (β = 3.63, 95% CI 0.42-6.83; p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: Greater OSA severity was associated with higher nocturnal SBP and possible autonomic imbalance. ABPM with OSA screening may help identify high-risk nocturnal blood pressure phenotypes in hypertensive patients.
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Sun et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Hypertension (n=86). Obstructive sleep apnoea severity vs. Lower obstructive sleep apnoea severity was evaluated on Nocturnal systolic blood pressure (β = 3.63 per 10 events/hour increase in AHI, 95% CI 0.42-6.83, p=0.032). Obstructive sleep apnoea severity was associated with increased nocturnal systolic blood pressure, showing a 3.63 increase for every 10 events/hour increase in the AHI (95% CI 0.42-6.83; p=0.032).
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