0717 Obstructive Sleep Apnea Symptom Subtype Transitions over Five Years are Associated with Increased Cardiovascular Disease Incidence Risk

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Efforts to characterize clinical heterogeneity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) resulted in the identification and replication of symptom-based subtypes. Individuals with moderate-severe OSA that are excessively sleepy are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is limited evidence about whether OSA patients that worsen their symptom presentation over time are at increased cardiovascular burden. This study aimed to assess the association between five-year transitions among OSA symptom subtypes and incidence of CVD in a community-based cohort. Methods Participants of the Sleep Heart Health Study with complete baseline and 5-year follow-up data on symptom presentation, polysomnographic data and CVD outcomes were included (N=2,643). We used latent transition analysis on 14 symptom items to determine symptom subtype transitions in participants diagnosed with OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI]≥5) across both visits. The primary outcome was incidence of CVD, defined as first occurrence of a composite of coronary heart disease, heart failure or stroke after the follow-up visit (median CV follow-up: 6.7 years). Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between symptom subtype transitions and CVD incidence, adjusted by relevant demographic and cardiovascular risk factors. Results Four OSA symptom subtypes were identified at baseline and follow-up visits: minimally symptomatic, disturbed sleep, moderately sleepy and excessively sleepy. When compared to participants without OSA at baseline and follow-up visits, those with OSA that transitioned from moderately sleepy to excessively sleepy had increased CVD incidence risk (HR=2.09; 95%CI=1.27-3.45; p=0.004), independent of other CV risk factors. Increased CVD incidence risk was also observed in participants who transitioned from moderately sleepy to excessively sleepy when compared to those that remained moderately sleepy (HR=2.02; 95%CI=1.20-3.40; p=0.008) and in participants who transitioned from disturbed sleep to excessively sleepy when compared to those that remained with disturbed sleep (HR=3.25; 95%CI=1.03-10.23; p=0.044). Conclusion Five-year transitions across OSA symptom subtypes are associated with increased CVD incidence risk when adjusted by other relevant cardiovascular risk factors. Participants that transitioned from moderately sleepy or from disturbed sleep to excessively sleepy were at higher CVD risk. Results of this study might inform the role of symptom progression on CVD risk in OSA. Support (If Any) American Heart Association (20CDA35310360), National Institutes of Health (U01HL53916, U01HL53931, U01HL53934, U01HL53937, U01HL53938, U01HL53940, U01HL53941, U01HL64360 R24 HL114473, 75N92019R002).