An increased incidence of cardiovascular disease has previously been reported in middle-aged males during a follow-up period of 7 yrs. The aim of the present study was to address the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in a larger sample without any heart disease at baseline. The population comprised 308 snorers (245 males and 63 females) with a mean +/- sd age of 49.0 +/- 9.9 yrs in 1991. Data were collected via the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register, National Cause of Death Registry, clinical charts and questionnaires. Over 7 yrs, CAD was observed in 17 (16.2%) of 105 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA; overnight (6 h) oxygen desaturations > or =30 events) compared with 11 (5.4%) of 203 snorers without OSA. OSA diagnosis at baseline was associated with an increased risk of development of CAD in a multivariate model. In the OSA group, CAD was confirmed in 16 (24.6%) of 65 incompletely treated patients compared with one (3.9%) of 26 efficiently treated subjects. Efficient treatment of OSA reduced this risk. It is concluded that middle-aged sleep apnoeics are at high risk of developing coronary artery disease if they are not treated efficiently, which should be considered in cardiovascular disease prevention models.
Peker et al. (Wed,) studied this question.