Abstract
Background/Objectives: Although obesity has been reported to be a potential risk factor for abdominal aortic dilatation and abdominal aortic aneurysm, the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on abdominal aortic diameter remains to be elucidated.This study aimed to investigate the impact of OSA on abdominal aortic diameters.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive 430 patients over 45 years old who underwent polysomnography and an abdominal CT scan from November 2008 to February 2012. Aortic diameters were measured at three locations: just inferior to the supramesenteric artery (upper abdominal aorta [UAA]); maximum diameter below the renal arteries (infrarenal aorta [IRA]); just superior to the aortoiliac bifurcation (lower abdominal aorta [LAA]).
Results: OSA was defined as non-OSA (AHI <10, n=58), mild/moderate (AHI 10-30, n=169), and severe (AHI ≥30, n=203). Adjusted aortic diameter was not significantly different among OSA severity categories at the UAA (21.0, 21.4, and 21.5 mm, respectively) and IRA (19.5, 20.2, and 19.9 mm, respectively), but was significantly different at the LAA (17.3, 18.3, and 18.2 mm, respectively, P=0.005) with larger diameters in patients with OSA. Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that risk profiles for aortic dilatation varied according to the aortic locations and sex, and OSA (AHI ≥10) was an independent risk factor for IRA and LAA dilatation in men in addition to traditional risk factors including age, body surface area, and smoking.
Conclusions: OSA may enhance degenerative dilatation of the distal abdominal aorta, which is known to be a risk factor for developing of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
- © 2014 ERS