The association between obstructive sleep apnea risk and cognitive disorders: a population-based study

To examine the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk and cognitive disorders among US adults.Data from the 2016 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were utilized. Probable OSA cases were identified with survey items that resembled critical elements of a clinically validated OSA screen (STOP-Bang questionnaire). Weighted prevalences of cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) and dementia among individuals with and without probable OSA were assessed. Cross-sectional analyses of associations between OSA risk and cognitive outcomes, along with effect modification by race and ethnicity, were estimated using imputed data.Of the 20,910 HRS participants, 60% had probable OSA. CIND and dementia were more common among adults with probable OSA as compared with those without (12.7% vs 8.0% for CIND; 3.2% vs 2.0% for dementia). Probable OSA was associated with CIND (odds ratio [OR] = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08-1.37) and dementia (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04-1.54). Race/ethnicity significantly modified the association between probable OSA and CIND, with a higher risk for CIND in Whites (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.17-1.57) as compared with non-Whites (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.81-1.19).CIND and dementia are more common among older adults who are at high risk for OSA, as compared with low-risk individuals. These data highlight the importance of consideration of OSA risk in large-scale studies of OSA and cognitive disorders.Shieu MM, Dunietz GL, Paulson HL, Chervin RD, Braley TJ. The association between obstructive sleep apnea risk and cognitive disorders: a population-based study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(4):1177-1185.