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. 2020 Oct 15;16(10):1753-1760.
doi: 10.5664/jcsm.8684.

Incidence of hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea using hypopneas defined by 3 percent oxygen desaturation or arousal but not by only 4 percent oxygen desaturation

Rohit Budhiraja  1 , Sogol Javaheri  1 , Sairam Parthasarathy  2 , Richard B Berry  3 , Stuart F Quan  1   2
Affiliations

Incidence of hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea using hypopneas defined by 3 percent oxygen desaturation or arousal but not by only 4 percent oxygen desaturation

Rohit Budhiraja et al. J Clin Sleep Med. .

Abstract

Study objectives: This analysis determined ∼5-year incident hypertension rates using the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure (BP) guidelines in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with hypopneas defined by a ≥ 3% oxygen desaturation or arousal but not by a hypopnea criterion of ≥ 4% oxygen desaturation (4% only).

Methods: Data were analyzed from participants in the Sleep Heart Health Study exam 2 (n = 1219) who were normotensive (BP ≤ 120/80 mm Hg) at exam 1. The AHI at exam 1 was classified into 4 categories of OSA severity: < 5, 5 ≤ 15, 15 ≤ 30, and ≥ 30 events/h using both the 3% oxygen desaturation or arousal and the 4% only definitions. Three definitions of hypertension-elevated BP (> 120/80 mm Hg), stage 1 (> 130/80 mm Hg), and stage 2 (> 140/90 mm Hg)-were used to determine incidence rates at exam 2.

Results: Five-year follow-up was available for 476 participants classified as having OSA by the 3% oxygen desaturation or arousal criterion but not by the 4% only standard at exam 1. Incident hypertension using American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association-defined BP categories in these discordantly classified individuals were 15% (elevated BP), 15% (stage 1), and 6% (stage 2). Hypertensive medications were used in 4% of participants who were normotensive. The overall incidence rate of at least an elevated BP was 40% (191/476) in those with OSA defined using the 3% oxygen desaturation or arousal criterion but not by the 4% only criterion.

Conclusions: Use of the 4% only hypopnea definition resulted in the failure to identify a significant number of individuals with OSA who eventually developed hypertension and could have benefited from earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords: OSA; hypopnea definition; incident hypertension.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flowchart of incident hypertension.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Incident hypertension in CMS-negative OSA.
CMS = Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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