New study links sleep apnoea to diabetes

People with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) could be at greater risk of developing diabetes, according to the findings of a large-scale study.

Carried out by the University of Toronto, the research involved more than 8,500 Canadian patients. It demonstrated a significant association between OSA severity and the risk of developing diabetes, even after adjusting for other potential causes.

It was also illustrated that prolonged oxygen desaturation, shorter sleep time and higher heart rate were associated with diabetes, a finding consistent with the pathophysiological mechanisms thought to underlie the relationship between OSA and diabetes.

Although smaller studies with shorter follow-up periods had previously hinted at such a connection, this is the largest trial to date to investigate the connection.

Dr Tetyana Kendzerska of the University of Toronto said: "The OSA-related predictors of increased diabetes risk that we found in our study may allow for early preventative interventions in these patients."

In the UK, diabetes affects approximately 2.9 million people, with around 850,000 cases going undiagnosed.