title: Prevalence of risk factors for atrial fibrillation and stroke among 1210 patients with sleep disordered breathing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to identify the prevalence of risk factors for atrial fibrillation and stroke in a sleep apnea population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants included 1210 consecutive adults who were referred with suspicion of sleep apnea. Statistical analysis was used to determine the relationship between sleep apnea syndrome and risk factors for atrial fibrillation and stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1210 enrolled patients, 65.8% had severe sleep apnea (Apnea/hypopnea Index--AHI>30), 25.2% had mild to moderate sleep apnea (AHI 5 to 30), and 8.8% had no sleep apnea (AHI<5). At baseline, the mean apnea-hypopnea index in patients with sleep apnea syndrome was 35. Compared to patients with an AHI<5, those with an AHI>30 were older (47.3±11.4 vs. 52.74±12.4, p<0.001) and had a higher body mass index (BMI) (30.7±7.3 vs. 33.83±10.1, p<0.001), a higher prevalence of hypertension (38 vs. 16%, p<0.001), and a higher CHADS2 (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes and prior stroke) score (0.59±0.8 vs. 0.28±0.64, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with severe sleep apnea have a higher prevalence of risk factors for atrial fibrillation and stroke when compared with subjects without sleep apnea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: cvalenza@ugr.es.
authors.forename: Marie Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Valenza
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology (Arrhythmia Service), Kingston General Hospital, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baranchuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valenza-Demet
authors.affiliation: Sleep Laboratory, Department of Pulmonology, San Cecilio Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Casaubon
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, San Cecilio Hospital, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martin-Navajas
authors.affiliation: Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Healey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications*; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Sleep apnea; Stroke