Combined effect of obstructive sleep apnea and age on daytime blood pressure

Abstract

Epidemiologic studies have shown obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for systemic hypertension. The prevalence of systemic hypertension also increases gradually with age. The purpose of this study was to assess the combined effect of OSA and age on daytime blood pressure. Patients who received nocturnal polysomnography in Tainan Municipal Hospital were invited between October 2008 and February 2010. Daytime blood pressure was measured. Participants were classified into three groups: nonapnea (n = 14, 18%) with RDI <5 episodes/h; mild to moderate OSA (n = 34, 43%) with RDI ≧ 5 and <30; and severe OSA (n = 31, 39%) with RDI ≧ 30. Seventy-nine patients (79/101, 78.2%) (63 males) completed the study. The mean of age, severity of OSA (RDI) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 40.3 ± 15.4 years, 28.1 ± 26.0/h and 132.6 ± 19.7 mmHg, respectively. RDI and age were significant risk factors for SBP (P < 0.05). SBP became severe when patients were older in the group of mild to moderate OSA (p = 0.0067) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) became severe when patients were older in the group of nonapnea and mild to moderate OSA (P = 0.0042 and 0.0168, respectively). But the daytime blood pressure and age were not correlated significantly for the severe OSA subjects. This study revealed that age and RDI were risk factors in development of daytime hypertension. For patients with mild to moderate OSA, SBP was significantly worse when getting older and for patients with nonapnea and mild to moderate OSA, DBP was significantly worse with increasing age.

Effects of Positive Airway Pressure Treatment on Clinical Measures of Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes

“…These population characteristics have individually been associated with higher therapeutic effects of CPAP on BP. 4,20,29,30 Age and OSA interact as risk factors for hypertension 31 : the importance of age as an effect modifier of treatment response is illustrated in this study; that is, older men showed greater OSA treatment-related response in both systolic and diastolic BP. The effect size (Cohen's d for repeated measures) when considered by type of treatment and race varied from small to large, indi- cating that type of treatment and race may also be significant determinants of HTE.…”

Does age elevate blood pressure in obstructive sleep apnea?

“…It was a great pleasure that we have read the article entitled ''Combined effect of obstructive sleep apnea and age on daytime blood pressure'' by Chao et al [1]. After reading the article, we benefited a lot from it.…”