Newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

INTRODUCTION Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is frequent in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and is seen in 12-30% of patients with newly diagnosed OSA according to previous studies. Our aim was to determine the referral pattern and prevalence of patients with self-reported type 2 DM in a Danish cohort of patients with newly diagnosed OSA. Furthermore, we compared clinical data related to the sleep disorder in patients with and without type 2 DM and different OSA severities. METHODS This retrospective observational study was based on data from a cohort including all patients offered continuous positive airway pressure therapy in the course of a 14-month period after being referred to a sleep disorders clinic. RESULTS A total of 54 of 696 (7.8%) patients had type 2 DM. The majority of the patients in the type 2 DM group were referred from a general practitioner and only 8% from diabetes clinics. BMI, age and cardiovascular morbidity in type 2 DM patients were significantly higher than in the group without diabetes, while the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) and the Oxygen Desaturation Index (ODI) were not statistically different. Daytime sleepiness was similar in patients with mild-to-moderate compared with severe OSA. CONCLUSIONS AHI, ESS and ODI were similar in type 2 DM and the non-diabetic group. The prevalence of type 2 DM was lower than expected. Attention of healthcare providers to the association between type 2 DM and OSA is needed. FUNDING The study was funded by the Central Region Denmark Region Research Fund. TRIAL REGISTRATION not relevant.