Symptoms of insomnia, sleep apnea associated with increased mortality risk

Symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea were associated with a 56% increased risk for all-cause mortality, researchers reported in Sleep Epidemiology.

“Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are the two most common sleep disorders, each occurring in 10% to 30% of the general population, but in many patients the conditions can occur at the same time in what we call comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea,” Alexander Sweetman, PhD, co-author and a research fellow at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health at Flinders University in Australia, said in a release from the university.

Sweetman and colleagues conducted a population-based study to investigate the association between comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA) and all-cause mortality among 6,877 participants (mean age, 45 years; 50.1% male) who participated in a national survey from 2005 to 2008.

The authors followed up with patients for a median of 8.6 years. Cox regression models were used to determine the association between COMISA and all-cause mortality, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, behavioral factors and chronic conditions.

Sweetman and colleagues reported the prevalence of no insomnia or sleep apnea was 73.5%, no insomnia alone was 3%, no sleep apnea alone was 20.1%, and no COMISA was 3.3%. By follow-up at year 11, 6.7% of participants died.

According to the authors, compared with participants with no insomnia or sleep apnea, higher mortality risk was observed in participants with COMISA (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3-2.8) and insomnia alone (HR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1-2.3).

The relationship between COMISA and mortality continued to persist after controlling for chronic conditions, sleep duration and sleeping pill use (HR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3). However, the relationship between insomnia alone and mortality did not (HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.9-2.3).

“While our study further highlights the risk of comorbid insomnia and sleep apnea, it directly addressed the study’s aim, finding that self-reported insomnia symptoms combined with the [national survey] can be used to identify people with probable COMISA at risk of adverse health outcomes,” Sweetman said.

Reference:

Self-reported insomnia and sleep apnea a risky combo. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/962482. Published Aug. 22, 2022. Accessed Aug. 22, 2022.