Sleep apnea is a novel risk predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and death in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis

Kidney Int. 2010 Jun;77(11):1031-8. doi: 10.1038/ki.2010.76. Epub 2010 Mar 17.

Abstract

Sleep apnea syndrome is increasingly recognized in peritoneal dialysis patients; however, its prognostic implication in this population is unknown. To study this, we prospectively followed the clinical outcome of 93 peritoneal dialysis patients with baseline polysomnography. Of these, 51 were diagnosed with the syndrome defined by an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of at least 15 per hour. During a median follow-up of 41 months, there were 30 deaths, of which 17 were due to cardiovascular causes. Kaplan-Meier analysis for the entire follow-up period indicated that patients with sleep apnea at baseline had significantly higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality during follow-up than those without. Minimal nocturnal saturation and desaturation indices were predictors of mortality and cardiovascular events at univariate analysis. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified significant sleep apnea syndrome at baseline as an independent predictor of increased all-cause mortality independent of age, male gender, and diabetic status. Further, an absolute increase in the AHI was associated with an incremental risk of cardiovascular events. Thus, sleep apnea syndrome, detected at the start of peritoneal dialysis, is a novel risk predictor for subsequent mortality and cardiovascular events.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality*
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • China
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Kidney Diseases / complications
  • Kidney Diseases / mortality*
  • Kidney Diseases / therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peritoneal Dialysis / adverse effects
  • Peritoneal Dialysis / mortality*
  • Polysomnography
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes / complications
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes / diagnosis
  • Sleep Apnea Syndromes / mortality*
  • Time Factors