Pulmonary hypertension in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: Correlation with disease severity and quality of life.

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a contributor to cardiovascular morbidity, including pulmonary hypertension (PH).

AIM: To assess the prevalence and severity of PH in newly diagnosed OSA patients and evaluate its association with disease severity and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 113 patients newly diagnosed with OSA underwent echocardiography to assess pulmonary artery pressures and completed the World Health Organisation Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. OSA severity was determined via polysomnography using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Statistical correlations between AHI, right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP), and QoL domains were analyzed.

RESULTS

PH (defined by MPAP ≥ 20 mmHg) was observed in 71.68% of patients (MPAP ≥ 20 mmHg). Its prevalence increased with age and OSA severity (P < 0.01). The mean RVSP (39.4 mmHg in males vs 34.1 mmHg in females) and MPAP (27.76 mmHg in males vs 24.64 mmHg in females) values were slightly higher in males but the difference was not statistically significant. AHI and oxygen desaturation index positively correlated with RVSP (r = 0.677) and MPAP (r = 0.543). The WHOQOL-BREF scores were significantly lower in PH patients, particularly in physical and psychological domains (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

PH in OSA is strongly linked to disease severity, impairs right ventricular function, and reduces QoL. Findings are limited by the cross-sectional design and reliance on echocardiography instead of right heart catheterization.