Obstructive sleep apnea and venous thromboembolism: Overview of an emerging relationship

Effect of CPAP Treatment on Cardiovascular Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Randomized controlled trials (RCT) have not demonstrated a role for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on the secondary prevention of major cardiovascular events in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. However, participants in RCTs are substantially different from real-world patients. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effect of CPAP treatment on major cardiovascular events in real-world OSA patients.

METHODS

Population-based longitudinal observational study including all OSA patients with an active CPAP prescription at the beginning of 2011 in Catalonia, Spain, that terminated CPAP treatment during 2011 and did not have CPAP prescriptions between 2012-2015; and propensity-score-matched OSA patients that continued CPAP treatment until the end of 2015 or death. Adjusted hazard ratios were used to assess the association between CPAP treatment and overall and cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular hospitalizations, or major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs).

RESULTS

3638 CPAP terminators and 10,914 propensity-score-matched continuators were included (median age 67 [57-77] years, 71.4% male). During a median follow-up of 47.9 months CPAP continuators showed a lower risk of cardiovascular death than terminators (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50-0.75) after adjusting by age, sex and key comorbidities. Similar results were found for cardiovascular hospitalizations (HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.76-0.99) and MACEs (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.75-0.95).

CONCLUSION

CPAP treatment continuation could be associated with a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events in real-world OSA patients. This result highlights the importance of including real-world patients in studies on OSA.

Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome and vascular lesions: An update on what we currently know

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is the most prevalent sleep and respiratory disorder. This syndrome can induce severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, and intermittent hypoxia is a pivotal contributor to this damage. Vascular pathology is closely associated with the impairment of target organs, marking a focal point in current research. Vascular lesions are the fundamental pathophysiological basis of multiorgan ailments and indicate a shared pathogenic mechanism among common cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, suggesting their importance as a public health concern. Increasing evidence shows a strong correlation between OSAHS and vascular lesions. Previous studies predominantly focused on the pathophysiological alterations in OSAHS itself, such as intermittent hypoxia and fragmented sleep, leading to vascular disruptions. This review aims to delve deeper into the vascular lesions affected by OSAHS by examining the microscopic pathophysiological mechanisms involved. Emphasis has been placed on examining how OSAHS induces vascular lesions through disruptions in the endothelial barrier, metabolic dysregulation, cellular phenotype alterations, neuroendocrine irregularities, programmed cell death, vascular inflammation, oxidative stress and epigenetic modifications. This review examines the epidemiology and associated risk factors for OSAHS and vascular diseases and subsequently describes the existing evidence on vascular lesions induced by OSAHS in the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, retinal, renal and reproductive systems. A detailed account of the current research on the pathophysiological mechanisms mediating vascular lesions caused by OSAHS is provided, culminating in a discussion of research advancements in therapeutic modalities to mitigate OSAHS-related vascular lesions and the implications of these treatment strategies.

Risk factors analysis of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation in inpatients with overlapping syndrome of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease combined with obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical data of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obstructive sleep apnea overlap syndrome (OS) during hospitalization and to evaluate the risk factors of patients treated with Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV).

METHODS

Demographic and clinical data of patients with confirmed OS during hospitalization were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether noninvasive ventilator was used during hospitalization, including OS treated with NIV (244 cases) and OS without NIV (239 cases). The t-test, χ 2 test, and Kaplan-Meier curve were used to compare the two groups, and multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of NIV in patients with OS.

RESULTS

Compared with the OS group without NIV, the pulmonary hypertension, lymphocyte count, and left ventricular ejection fraction% of OS patients with NIV were lower, whereas PCO2, uric acid, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were higher, with statistical differences (P < 0.05). During hospitalization and follow-up, OS patients with NIV had a longer hospital stay (P < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in the rate of readmission within 28 days. The logistic regression analysis showed that the history of diuretic use, previous history of noninvasive ventilator use, and ischemic heart disease were independent risk factors for NIV treatment in OS patients during hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Patients with OS undergoing NIV during hospitalization exhibited more severe overall illness and had prolonged hospital stays compared to OS patients not receiving NIV. History of diuretic use, history of NIV use, and ischemic heart disease are independent risk factors for NIV treatment in OS patients during hospitalization.

Increased Risk of Postoperative Complications in Patients Who Have Obstructive Sleep Apnea Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to multiple adverse health outcomes and postoperative complications. Despite the high prevalence of OSA in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA), few studies have evaluated the postoperative course of OSA patients after joint arthroplasty surgery.

METHODS

PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scopus (EMBASE, MEDLINE, and COMPENDEX) were used to conduct a systematic review of articles from inception to July 2023. Primary studies comparing postoperative outcomes following TJA between patients who had and did not have OSA were included. Postoperative medical complications, utilization of critical care, hospital stay, and mortality data were extracted. Descriptive statistics and random-effects meta-analysis models were used to analyze the available data. Included studies were evaluated for methodological risks of bias using the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions. This review was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (ID: CRD42023447610).

RESULTS

There were 7 studies with a total of 20,977 patients (9,425 hip; 11,137 knee; 415 hip or knee) that were included. Pulmonary complications were most frequently studied, followed by thromboembolic events. Cardiac, gastrointestinal, hematologic, genitourinary, and delirium events were also reported across studies. Meta-analysis revealed that OSA patients had 4-fold increased odds of overall medical complications (OR [odds ratio], 4.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.97 to 6.04; P < .001; I2 = 0%), 4-fold increased odds of pulmonary complications (OR, 4.31; 95% CI, 2.82 to 6.60; P < .001; I2 = 0%), 2-fold increased odds of thromboembolic complications (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.03; P = .005; I2 = 9%), and 4-fold increased odds of delirium (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.72 to 9.04; P = .001; I2 = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant association was found between OSA and overall medical, pulmonary, and thromboembolic complications. These patients also had a higher incidence of postoperative delirium. The present findings underscore the need for comprehensive perioperative strategies to mitigate these risks in OSA patients who elect to undergo TJA.

The Association between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Venous Thromboembolism: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

BACKGROUND

 Despite previous observational studies linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to venous thromboembolism (VTE), these findings remain controversial. This study aimed to explore the association between OSA and VTE, including pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), at a genetic level using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS

 Utilizing summary-level data from large-scale genome-wide association studies in European individuals, we designed a bidirectional two-sample MR analysis to comprehensively assess the genetic association between OSA and VTE. The inverse variance weighted was used as the primary method for MR analysis. In addition, MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) were used for complementary analyses. Furthermore, a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure the validity and robustness of the results.

RESULTS

 The initial and validation MR analyses indicated that genetically predicted OSA had no effects on the risk of VTE (including PE and DVT). Likewise, the reverse MR analysis did not find substantial support for a significant association between VTE (including PE and DVT) and OSA. Supplementary MR methods and sensitivity analyses provided additional confirmation of the reliability of the MR results.

CONCLUSION

 Our bidirectional two-sample MR analysis did not find genetic evidence supporting a significant association between OSA and VTE in either direction.

Clinical efficacy and safety of Panax notoginseng saponins in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with blood hypercoagulability: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are the primary active components of an ancient Chinese herb Panax notoginseng. Hypercoagulable state of blood (HCS) is an independent risk factor and a cause of death in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several vivo studies have demonstrated the use of PNS preparations for treating COPD with HCS.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of PNS preparations in treating COPD with HCS.

STUDY DESIGN

Meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to review data.

METHODS

RCTs on the treatment of COPD with HCS and PNS preparations were searched from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Vip Information Database, Wanfang data, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Relevant data were extracted from the included studies and methodological quality evaluation was performed. R language (version 4.2.3) was applied for the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Twenty RCTs involving 1831 patients were analyzed. The results revealed that PNS preparations considerably increased the total clinical efficiency, improved forced expiratory volume in one second percent of predicted, and forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity ratio. Further, PNS preparations improved fibrinogen, plasma d-dimer, whole blood viscosity at high cut, whole blood viscosity at low cut, and plasma viscosity levels. The results obtained for activated partial thromboplastin and prothrombin times were not statistically significant. Finally, PNS preparations increased partial pressure of oxygen and decreased carbon dioxide pressure.

CONCLUSION

This is the first relatively comprehensive systematic review of the clinical efficacy and safety of PNS preparations for treating COPD with HCS. The study revealed that PNS preparations considerably improve lung function, hypoxia, and blood hypercoagulability in patients with COPD and HCS without increasing the risk of hemorrhage and has a good safety profile; therefore, it can be used as a new modulating agent and anticoagulant.

Co-existence of OSA and respiratory diseases and the influence of gender

INTRODUCTION

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), especially obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is commonly associated with respiratory diseases, such as COPD, asthma and interstitial lung disease.

AREAS COVERED

This narrative review aims to comprehensively synthesize the existing information on SDB in respiratory diseases, investigate the role of gender in this association, and highlight the importance of OSA management in improving sleep, quality of life, and disease prognosis in these specific patient populations.

EXPERT OPINION

Research indicates a synergistic link between OSA and chronic respiratory diseases, which leads to greater morbidity and mortality compared to each disorder alone. Given the lack of an optimal OSA screening tool for these patients, a comprehensive patient approach and overnight diagnostic sleep study are imperative. Despite the limited evidence available, it seems that gender has an impact on the prevalence, severity, and susceptibility of this coexistence. Recognizing the role of gender in the coexistence of OSA and other respiratory diseases can enhance everyday medical practice and enable clinicians to adopt a more personalized approach toward optimal screening and diagnosis of these patients.

Causal associations of obstructive sleep apnea with cardiovascular disease: a Mendelian randomization study

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) had been associated with various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in observational studies, but causal inferences have not been confirmed. We used the Mendelian randomization (MR) study to explore the potential causal association between OSA with CVDs in the general population.

METHODS

We performed a two-sample MR analysis using five gene-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with OSA at genome-wide significance from the FinnGen study (N = 217 955) and 12 cardiovascular diseases from the UK Biobank and the genetic consortia. The inverse-variance weight was chosen as the primary analysis and was complemented by various sensitivity analyses. The study design applied univariable MR, multivariable MR, and mediation analysis.

RESULTS

MR analyses provide evidence of genetically predicted OSA on the risk of heart failure (odds ratio [OR],1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI],1.08 to 1.47), hypertension (OR,1.24; 95%CI, 1.11 to 1.39) and atrial fibrillation (OR,1.21; 95%CI,1.12 to 1.31). Multivariable MR indicated the adverse effect of OSA on heart failure persisted after adjusting BMI, smoking, drinking, and education (IVW OR,1.13; 95%CI, 1.01 to 1.27). However, the significance of hypertension and atrial fibrillation was dampened. Mediation analyses suggest that the causal association between OSA and heart failure is mediated in part by Apolipoprotein B, with a mediated portion of 9%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggested that genetically predicted OSA is a potential causal risk factor for heart failure based on a large-scale population. Nevertheless, further studies regarding ancestral diversity are needed to confirm the causal association between OSA and CVDs.

Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on outcomes of pulmonary embolism: A systematic review and meta‑analysis

The current review aimed to assess the effect of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on the severity and outcomes of pulmonary embolism (PE). PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, CENTRAL and Google Scholar were searched for studies assessing the impact of OSA on severity and outcomes of PE. A total of 12 studies were included. Meta-analysis revealed that simplified PE severity index of >1 and pulmonary artery obstruction index score was significantly higher in patients with OSA as compared with controls, but there was no difference in right ventricle to left ventricle short-axis diameter. The need for non-invasive ventilation was significantly higher in patients with OSA but there was no difference in the need for mechanical ventilation. Patients with OSA had a significantly higher incidence of recurrence of PE. Meta-analysis also showed a statistically significantly lower risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with OSA as compared with controls, but without any difference in the risk of late mortality. Adjusted data on mortality indicated a significantly lower risk of mortality in PE patients with comorbid OSA. Limited data shows that comorbid OSA increases the severity of PE but has no effect on right ventricular function. OSA may increase the risk of recurrent PE. Paradoxically, the presence of OSA may also reduce the risk of in-hospital mortality. Results must be interpreted with caution owing to high inter-study heterogeneity and lack of matching of baseline characteristics. Current evidence needs to be confirmed by high-quality prospective studies.

The Use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure for Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea is Associated With Early Medical and Surgery-Related Complications Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A National Database Study

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been shown to increase the risk of complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) although prior studies were limited by their ability to stratify OSA patients by disease severity. The objective of this study was to determine the effect size of the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on early medical and surgery-related complications following TKA among patients with OSA.

Methods

Patients with OSA who underwent primary TKA were identified using the PearlDiver Mariner database. Ninety-day incidences of medical complications and 1-year incidences of surgery-related complications as well as hospital utilization were evaluated for OSA patients who had used CPAP prior to TKA compared to those who did not.

Results

CPAP patients were at increased 90-day risk of emergency department presentation (odds ratio [OR] 1.61; P < .0001), hospital admission (OR 1.33; P < .001), ICU admission (OR 1.45, P < .0001), pulmonary embolism (OR 1.68, P < .0001), deep vein thrombosis (OR 1.31, P < .0001), transfusion (OR 1.89, P < .0001), pneumonia (OR 1.63, P < .0001), cerebrovascular accident (OR 1.92, P < .0001), myocardial infarction (OR 1.57, P = .0015), sepsis (OR 1.35, P = .0025), blood loss anemia (OR 1.67, P < .0001), acute kidney injury (OR 1.65, P < .0001), and urinary tract infection (OR 1.99, P < .0001), as well as increased 1-year risk of undergoing revision surgery (OR 1.14, P = .0028), compared to OSA patients not using CPAP.

Conclusions

OSA patients on CPAP undergoing TKA have significantly increased complication rates compared to OSA patients not using CPAP.

Level of Evidence

III, Retrospective review.

The Use of Aspirin Increases the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events in Hypertensive Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Real-World Cohort Study

(1) Background: Hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and the utility of aspirin for primary cardiovascular prevention in this population remains uncertain. (2) Methods: In this retrospective cohort study using data from the Urumchi Hypertension Database (UHDATA), hypertensive patients older than 18 years old with a first-time diagnosis of OSA were divided into three groups depending on aspirin history. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) were the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included MACCE components, ischemic events, cardiac events, cerebrovascular events, and gastrointestinal bleeding risk. The inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to balance the confounding factors among the groups, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). (3) Results: In persistent aspirin users, the risk of MACCE events (HR 2.11, 95%CI 1.23-3.63), ischemic events (HR 2.58, 95%CI 1.42-4.69), cerebrovascular events (HR 2.55, 95%CI 1.44-4.51), and non-fatal cerebral infarction (HR 3.14, 95%CI 1.69-5.84) was significantly elevated. (4) Conclusions: Continuous aspirin use increases the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events in hypertensive patients with OSA receiving aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Associations among sleep, hematologic profile, and aerobic and anerobic capacity of young swimmers: A complex network approach

Although the link between sleep and hematological parameters is well-described, it is unclear how this integration affects the swimmer’s performance. The parameters derived from the non-invasive critical velocity protocol have been extensively used to evaluate these athletes, especially the aerobic capacity (critical velocity—CV) and the anaerobic work capacity (AWC). Thus, this study applied the complex network model to verify the influence of sleep and hematological variables on the CV and AWC of young swimmers. Thirty-eight swimmers (male, n = 20; female, n = 18) completed five experimental evaluations. Initially, the athletes attended the laboratory facilities for venous blood collection, anthropometric measurements, and application of sleep questionnaires. Over the 4 subsequent days, athletes performed randomized maximal efforts on distances of 100, 200, 400, and 800-m. The aerobic and anerobic parameters were determined by linear function between distance vs. time, where CV relates to the slope of regression and AWC to y-intercept. Weighted but untargeted networks were generated based on significant (p < 0.05) correlations among variables regardless of the correlation coefficient. Betweenness and eigenvector metrics were used to highlight the more important nodes inside the complex network. Regardless of the centrality metric, basophils and red blood cells appeared as influential nodes in the networks with AWC or CV as targets. The role of other hematologic components was also revealed in these metrics, along with sleep total time. Overall, these results trigger new discussion on the influence of sleep and hematologic profile on the swimmer’s performance, and the relationships presented by this targeted complex network can be an important tool throughout the athlete’s development.

OSA and Chronic Respiratory Disease: Mechanisms and Epidemiology

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disorder that has profound implications on the outcomes of patients with chronic lung disease. The hallmark of OSA is a collapse of the oropharynx resulting in a transient reduction in airflow, large intrathoracic pressure swings, and intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia. The subsequent cytokine-mediated inflammatory cascade, coupled with tractional lung injury, damages the lungs and may worsen several conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary hypertension. Further complicating this is the sleep fragmentation and deterioration of sleep quality that occurs because of OSA, which can compound the fatigue and physical exhaustion often experienced by patients due to their chronic lung disease. For patients with many pulmonary disorders, the available evidence suggests that the prompt recognition and treatment of sleep-disordered breathing improves their quality of life and may also alter the course of their illness. However, more robust studies are needed to truly understand this relationship and the impacts of confounding comorbidities such as obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Clinicians taking care of patients with chronic pulmonary disease should screen and treat patients for OSA, given the complex bidirectional relationship OSA has with chronic lung disease.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea as a Risk Factor for Venous Thromboembolism: A Systematic Review

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is a prevalent condition characterized by repeated episodes of pharyngeal airway obstruction resulting in hypopnea and apnea episodes during sleep leading to nightly awakenings. OSA is a major contributor to the healthcare burden worldwide due to its high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There is growing evidence to support a pathophysiological link between OSA and venous thromboembolism (VTE). The pro-inflammatory state along with intermittent hypoxia that is invoked in OSA is associated with blood hypercoagulability, venous stasis, and endothelial dysfunction leading to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). In this systematic review, we aim to analyze and assess the available literature on OSA and VTE (or DVT/PE) to determine whether OSA is an independent risk factor for VTE.

A Novel Portable Real-Time Low-Cost Sleep Apnea Monitoring System based on the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Network

Background and objective

Continuous monitoring of breathing activity plays a vital role in the detection of respiratory-based diseases (SA, COPD, etc.). Sleep Apnea (SA) is characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep associated with arterial blood desaturation, sympathetic nervous system activation, and cardiovascular impairment. Untreated patients with SA have increased mortality rates compared to the general population. This study aims to design a remote monitoring system for sleep apnea to ensure patient safety and ease the workload of doctors in the Covid-19 era.

Methods

This study aims to design a remote monitoring system for sleep apnea to ensure patient safety and ease the workload of doctors. Our study focuses on a novel portable real-time low-cost sleep apnea monitoring system utilizing the GSM network (GSM Shield Sim900a). Proposed system is a remote monitoring and patient tracking system to detect the apnea event in real time, and to provide information of the sleep position, pulse, and respiratory and oxygen saturation to the medical specialists (SpO₂) by establishing a direct contact. As soon as an abnormal condition is detected in the light of these parameters, the condition is reported (instant or in the form of short reports after sleep) to the patient relatives, the doctor’s mobile telephone or to the emergency medical centers (EMCs) through a GSM network to handle the case depending on the patient’s emergency condition.

Results

A study group was formed of six patients for monitoring apnea events (three males and three females) between the ages of 20 and 60. The patients in the study group have sleep apnea (SA) in different grades. All the apnea events were detected, and all the patients were successfully alerted. Also, the patient parameters were successfully sent to all patient relatives. Patients who could not get out of apnea were called through the CALL feature, and they were informed about their ongoing apnea event and told that intervention was necessary. The proposed system is tested on six patients. The beginning moment of apnea was successfully detected and the SMS/CALL feature was successfully activated without delay. During the testing, it has been observed that while some of the patients start breathing after the first SMS, some others needed the second or the third SMS. According to the measurement result, the maximum breathless time is 46 s among the patients, and a SMS is sent every 15 s. In addition, in cases where the patient was breathless for a long time, the CALL feature was actively sought from the relatives of the patient and enabled him to intervene. The proposed monitoring system could be used in both clinical and home settings.

Conclusions

The monitoring of a patient in real time allows to intervene in any unexpected circumstances about the patient. The proposed work uses an acceleration sensor as a reliable method of the sleep apnea for monitoring and prevention. The developed device is more economical, comfortable, and convenient than existing systems not only for the patients but also for the doctors. The patients can easily use this device in their home environment, so which could yield a more comfortable, easy to use, cost-effective, and long-term breathing monitoring system for healthcare applications.

Graphical abstract

Role of von Willebrand factor in venous thromboembolic disease

Objective

Evolving evidence of the shared risk factors and pathogenic mechanisms in arterial and venous thrombosis questions of the strict vascular dichotomy of arterial vs venous. The connection between arterial and venous thrombosis has been highlighted by common underlying inflammatory processes, a concept known as thromboinflammatory disease. Using this relationship, we can apply knowledge from arterial disease to better understand and potentially mitigate venous disease. A protein that has been extensively studied in atherothrombotic disease and inflammation is von Willebrand factor (VWF). Because many predisposing and provoking factors of venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been shown to directly modulate VWF levels, it is, perhaps, not surprising that VWF has been highlighted by several recent association studies of patients with VTE.

Methods

In the present narrative review, we investigated more deeply the effects of VWF in venous disease by synthesizing the data from clinical studies of deep vein thrombosis of the limbs, pulmonary embolism, portal and cerebral vein thrombosis, and the complications of thrombosis, including post-thrombotic syndrome, venous insufficiency, and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. We have also discussed the findings from preclinical studies to highlight novel VWF biochemistry in thrombosis and therapeutics.

Results

Across the spectrum of venous thromboembolic disease, we consistently observed that elevated VWF levels conferred an increased risk of VTE and long-term venous complications. We have highlighted important findings from VWF molecular research and have proposed mechanisms by which VWF participates in venous disease. Emerging evidence from preclinical studies might reveal novel targets for thromboinflammatory disease, including specific VWF pathophysiology. Furthermore, we have highlighted the utility of measuring VWF to prognosticate and risk stratify for VTE and its complications.

Conclusions

As the prevalence of inflammatory processes, such as aging, obesity, and diabetes increases in our population, it is critical to understand the evolving role of VWF in venous disease to guide clinical decisions and therapeutics.

Incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggesting that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been limited by reliance on administrative data and lack of adjustment for clinical variables, including obesity.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Does OSA confer an independent risk of incident VTE among a large clinical cohort referred for sleep disordered breathing evaluation?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We analyzed the clinical outcomes of 31,309 patients undergoing overnight polysomnography within a large hospital system. We evaluated the association of OSA severity with incident VTE using Cox proportional hazards modeling accounting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and common comorbid conditions.

RESULTS

Patients were of mean age 50.4 years and 50.1% female. There were 1,791 VTE events identified over a mean follow-up of 5.3 years. In age and sex-adjusted analyses, each 10 event/hr increase in the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) was associated with a 4% increase in incident VTE risk (hazard ratio [HR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.05). After adjusting for BMI, this association disappeared (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99-1.03). In contrast, nocturnal hypoxemia had an independent association with incident VTE. Patients with >50% sleep time spent with oxyhemoglobin saturation <90% are at 48% increased VTE risk compared to those without nocturnal hypoxemia (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.16-1.69).

INTERPRETATION

In this large cohort, we found that patients with more severe OSA as measured by the AHI are more likely to have incident VTE. Adjusted analyses suggest that this association is explained due to confounding by obesity. However, severe nocturnal hypoxemia may be a mechanism by which OSA heightens VTE risk.

The association between shift work and possible obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Shift work is a workschedule, since industrial era and some employees work in shift. It causes a desynchronization of the biological clock with consequences on sleep amount and quality, such as insomnia and easy fatigue. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the sleep problems that are getting more and more attention, but studies on the association between shift work and OSA were rare. Herein, we aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between shift work and possible OSA.

METHODS

This study was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We queried PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases using a related set of keywords. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) participants were adult employees hired by a company or organization; (2) exposure was shift work; and (3) outcome was possible OSA according to examination or assessment.

RESULTS

We included six studies in the systematic review and five studies were selected for further meta-analysis. A random-effects model showed an association of shift work with a small, non-significant increase in possible OSA cases (pooled prevalence relative risk = 1.05; 95% CI 0.85-1.30; p = 0.65). This association occurred in both healthcare and non-healthcare workers group.

CONCLUSION

The association between shift work and possible OSA remains inconclusive and could be small if not negligible. Future studies should assess the association between specific work schedules and specific OSA definitions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO ID: CRD42020156837.

Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Reduced Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: A Propensity Score-Based Analysis

Background

The impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on the prognosis of intensive care unit (ICU) patients remains controversial. Thus, this study aimed to determine the association between OSA status and outcomes in ICU patients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study composed of 38,177 critically ill patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Propensity score matching was used to evaluate the association between OSA and mortality in ICU adults.

Results

A total of 38,177 critically ill patients were included in this study. Among them, 1428 (3.71%) patients had OSA. Before matching, patients with OSA had a significantly lower 28-day mortality (relative risk (RR), 0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.38–0.58), 90-day mortality (RR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.43–0.60), ICU mortality (RR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.31–0.54), and in-hospital mortality (RR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.36–0.57). After adjusting with propensity-score matching, the findings of reduced risk of mortality remained unchanged. The RR of 28-day mortality, 90-day mortality, ICU mortality, in-hospital mortality was 0.57 (95% CI, 0.34–0.57), 0.53 (95% CI, 0.40–0.70), 0.54 (95% CI, 0.37–0.79), and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.39–0.77), respectively.

Conclusion

This study indicated that ICU patients with OSA had a significantly lower risk of mortality compared with those without OSA.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of chronic noninfectious respiratory diseases

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health care across the world, not just by the severity of the disease and the high mortality rate but also by the consequences on the management of the patients with chronic diseases.Areas covered: This review summarizes the most up-to-date published data regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the management and outcomes of patients with chronic noninfectious respiratory illnesses including obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, interstitial and pulmonary vascular diseases, and lung cancer.Expert opinion: Most of chronic respiratory diseases (except asthma and cystic fibrosis) are associated with more severe COVID-19 and poor outcomes but the mechanisms involved are not yet identified. The therapeutic management of the patients with chronic respiratory diseases and COVID-19 is similar to the other patients but the post-recovery course could be worse in this population and followed by the development of pulmonary fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and pulmonary hypertension. The pandemic highly impacted our usual medical activities by limiting the access to several diagnosis procedures, the necessity to develop new methods for the monitoring of the disease and adapt the therapeutic strategies. The long-term consequences of all these changes are still unknown.

Outcomes of patients hospitalized for acute pulmonary embolism by obstructive sleep apnea status

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized in the aging population, especially with the rising obesity epidemic. The impact of OSA on inpatient mortality in PE is not well understood. We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases from 2005 to 2016 to identify 755,532 acute PE patients (age≥18 years). Among these, 61,050 (8.1%) were OSA+. Temporal trends in length of stay, inpatient mortality, and its association with OSA in PE patients were analyzed. The proportion of PE patients who were OSA+ increased from 2005 to 2016. OSA+ PE patients were younger and predominantly men. Despite a higher prevalence of traditional risk factors for inpatient mortality in OSA+ patients, OSA was associated with a lower risk of mortality in PE patients (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval; p: unadjusted 0.56, 0.53–0.58; p < 0.0001 and adjusted 0.55, 0.52–0.58; p < 0.0001). Overall mortality and length of stay in PE patients decreased over time. Relative to OSA– patients, there was a slight increase in mortality among OSA+ PE patients over time, although the length of stay remained unchanged between the two groups. In conclusion, OSA+ PE patients had a lower inpatient mortality compared to OSA– patients despite a higher prevalence of traditional mortality risk factors. Secondary pulmonary hypertension related to OSA with preconditioning of the right ventricle to elevated afterload may potentially explain the protective effect of OSA on mortality in PE. However, mechanistic studies need to further elucidate the links behind this association.

Coagulation and Fibrinolysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common disease which is characterised by repetitive collapse of the upper airways during sleep resulting in chronic intermittent hypoxaemia and frequent microarousals, consequently leading to sympathetic overflow, enhanced oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and metabolic disturbances. OSA is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and accelerated coagulation, platelet activation, and impaired fibrinolysis serve the link between OSA and cardiovascular disease. In this article we briefly describe physiological coagulation and fibrinolysis focusing on processes which could be altered in OSA. Then, we discuss how OSA-associated disturbances, such as hypoxaemia, sympathetic system activation, and systemic inflammation, affect these processes. Finally, we critically review the literature on OSA-related changes in markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis, discuss potential reasons for discrepancies, and comment on the clinical implications and future research needs.