Obstructive sleep apnea associated with increased risk of gout in women

A new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was linked to an elevated risk of gout specially in female patients. About 25% of individuals in the US have OSA, which manifests as loud, frequent snoring, bouts of apnea, more tiredness throughout the day, and choking or gasping when sleeping. Untreated, the syndrome might result in metabolic problems, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular disease. Additionally connected to cardiovascular events, hypertension, chronic renal disease, and obesity are gout attacks, a prevalent type of arthritis.

Even though several researchers have looked at the connection between OSA and gout, in recent years in the United States (US), the relationship has not been fully evaluated. The number of OSA patients is probably underestimated since neither the in-lab polysomnography nor the home sleep apnea testing is widely employed. Furthermore, it's possible to ignore OSA's impact on gout. Therefore, in order to determine the relationship between OSA and gout in women, Xi Gu and colleagues undertook this study.

The cross-sectional study included adult participants who were 20 years of age or older and had participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2008 and 2015 and 2018. During in-person interviews, data on demographics and health were gathered. Then, at the mobile examination center, patients were invited to take part in physical and laboratory exams, including the collecting of blood and urine samples. The frequency of snoring, the number of times someone stops breathing, and how frequently they experience excessive daytime fatigue were used to identify OSA symptoms.

The key findings of this study were as follows:

1. The average age of the 15,947 patients recruited was 47.8 years old, and 48.87% of the patients were men.

2. 4891 people (30.67%) in this group exhibited OSA symptoms, and 842 (5.28%) had been given a gout diagnosis. Gout patients tended to be male, White, and past smokers. Additionally, they were more likely to be older and fat.

3. The results of the multivariable logistic regression analysis showed a significant correlation between gout and OSA symptoms.

4. The odds ratio (OR) in the fully adjusted model was 1.315, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) ranged from 1.070 to 1.616.

5. A significant relationship between OSA and gender and gout was found in the subgroup analysis (P =.003).

6. In the female sample, OSA was associated with a higher chance of developing gout.

7. When categorized by age, hypertension, diabetes diagnosis, body mass index, and hyperlipidemia, no statistically significant associations were found.

8. The relationship between OSA and gout remained consistent after controlling for diuretic use and congestive heart failure.

Reference:

Gu, X., Tang, D., Xuan, Y., Shen, Y., & Lu, L. Q. (2023). Association between obstructive sleep apnea symptoms and gout in US population, a cross-sectional study. In Scientific Reports (Vol. 13, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36755-4