A Clinical Study on the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Obstructive Sleep Apnea among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Abstract

Background: A common issue is that individuals suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease often remain undiagnosed for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The incidence of OSA tends to increase as kidney function deteriorates, which poses heightened risks to cardiovascular health and metabolic processes. Early identification of symptoms and the condition itself can assist patients in improving their quality of life and enhance their prospects for recovery.

Aim and Objectives:

• To identify how much OSA occurs in CKD patients at Stages 2–4 and assess risk factors for the disease.


• To examine how OSA affects people in the beginning (Stages 2 and 3) and advanced (Stage 4) stages of chronic kidney disease.


• To find out which factors may lead to OSA among patients with CKD.

Materials and Methods: The study included people with stable chronic kidney disease who were cared for at nephrology and internal medicine outpatient practices. We applied the CKD-EPI equation to find the stage of CKD in all patients. Stage 2 and Stage 3 were included in Group 1 for analysis, and Stage 4 was Group 2 in the same analysis. All participants had their responses evaluated with the Berlin Questionnaire. An RMS Mobile split-night polysomnography was performed to ensure and grade the level of OSA risk in patients. The information used was EEG, EOG, EMG, airflow, respiratory effort, ECG, oxygen saturation, body position, and snoring. Things looked at were the age of the patient, their sex, the duration of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, whether fluid was overloaded, their neck size, Mallampati score, and the results of their chemical blood tests.

Results and Discussion: A significantly elevated prevalence of OSA was observed in Group 2 (Stage 4 CKD) compared to Group 1 (Stages 2 and 3). Individuals exhibiting more severe OSA were more prone to experience advanced CKD. The researchers identified several critical risk factors, including older age, male gender, diabetes, hypertension, increased neck circumference, and a higher score on the Mallampati scale. Additionally, excessive fluid retention and a prolonged duration of CKD were both associated with an increased likelihood of OSA.

Conclusion: The occurrence of OSA significantly increases in patients with CKD as their condition deteriorates. Consistently monitoring and responding to early indicators in high-risk CKD patients could potentially reduce complications and lead to improved outcomes.