title: [Twenty years follow-up: the correlation between sleep apnea syndrome and cerebrovascular disease].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 1868 people was screened for OSAS, and followed from November 1989 to November 2009. Annual medical examinations including blood pressure, blood fat, serum glucose, electrocardiogram and chest x-ray were performed. Computer tomography was carried out when CVD, the endpoint of the study, was manifested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1868 elderly people, 598 (32.0%) were confirmed to have OSAS, including 496 (82.9%) males and 102 (17.1%) females. Compared with the non-OSAS group, patients with OSAS had more symptoms including daytime somnolence, headache, decreased ability of memory, aphronesia and allolalia (P < 0.05). CVD occurred in 276 (46.2%) patients of the OSAS group, but in 150 (11.8%, P < 0.01) subjects of the non-OSAS group. During the 20-year follow-up, 817 people died, 66.2% (396/598) in the OSAS group, but 33.1% (421/1270) in the non-OSAS group (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with OSAS are more likely to suffer from CVD. OSAS may be an independent risk factor for CVD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Elderly Medicine, The 359th Hospital of PLA, Zhenjiang 212001, China. cishuping@sohu.com
authors.forename: Shu-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ci
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xi-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Ning-Zhi
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing-Quan
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xin-Xian
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012894:Sleep Stages