2697 The unexpected sleep apnea syndrome is highly prevalent and associated with the alteration of the autonomic nervous system activity in a general 65 years old population. The PROOF study

Abstract

Aim Up to 5% of adults in Western countries are likely to have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). OSAS had be found to be particularly highly prevalent in people older than age 65 years. The identification of OSAS as a risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality is needed in such older population since they should become candidates for treatment. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, a recognized marker of cardiovascular and all cause mortality in a general population, is precociously altered in OSAS: the degree of autonomic imbalance appears correlated with sleep fragmentation, inspiratory efforts and hypoxia. Methods We thus evaluated in a large cohort (n=1011) of 65+-0.4 years old men (40%) and women (60%) free of cardiovascular of cerebrovascular event or of diagnoses Sleep Related Breathing Disorders, the prevalence of unexpected OSAS and its relationship with ambulatory blood pressure, spontaneous cardiac baroflex sensitivity and basal cardiac autonomic activity.