Obesity, Sleep and Sleep-disordered Breathing

Background: Sleep problems are associated with impaired quality of life and daytime sleepiness. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS), are associated with metabolic changes and an increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The most preferred treatment of OSA and OHS is positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Diagnostic delay and non-adherence to PAP therapy are major clinical problems. Aims and methods: Paper I: A longitudinal population-based cohort study aimed to investigate the role of obesity and weight gain in the development of sleep problems in 1,896 men and 5,116 women who responded to questionnaires at baseline and followed up after 10–13 years. Paper II: A national registry-based cohort study aimed to analyse gender differences in patients with OHS starting long term mechanical ventilation (LTMV) and to study how the prescription of LTMV due to OHS has changed over time with data on 1,527 patients derived from the Swedish quality registry Swedevox between 1996 and 2014. Paper III: A longitudinal observational cohort study aimed to investigate the impact of adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on IGF-1 concentration in 69 patients with OSA followed up after 4.8 ± 2.5 months. Paper IV: A national registry-based cohort study aimed to identify protective and risk factors against the discontinuation of CPAP treatment in patients with OSA and to estimate the mortality risk in those who were non-adherent to CPAP therapy on 16,425 patients derived from the Swedish quality registry Swedevox between July 2010 and March 2017. Results and conclusions: Weight gain is a risk factor for developing several sleep problems and daytime sleepiness. Women with OHS are older with a more advanced clinical picture at initiation of LTMV and start LTMV more frequently in a non-elective situation than men. CPAP usage ≥ 4 h/night is associated with increased IGF-1 concentration in patients with OSA. Use of humidifier, increasing age, more severe OSA and BMI up to 35 are associated with greater adherence to CPAP treatment. Female gender and coexisting hypertension are risk factors for the discontinuation of CPAP. Failure to adhere to CPAP is associated with increased mortality