Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Positively Associated With the Presence of Carotid Artery Atheromas

Hypoxemia and hypertension caused by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often result in atherosclerosis of the carotid and coronary vessels and heightened risk of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). Therefore, this study investigated whether severity of OSA, based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), is associated with the presence of calcified carotid artery (atherosclerotic) plaque (CCAP) seen on panoramic images (PIs). Using a cross-sectional study design, the electronic medical records and PIs of all male patients referred from the sleep medicine service to the dental service from 2010 through 2016 were reviewed. The predictor variable was the patients' OSA intensity level as defined by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine based on the AHI score. The outcome variable was the presence of CCAP on the PI. Other variables of interest, that is, demographic and atherogenic risk factors (age, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia), were included in a multivariate analysis to assess the association of OSA with CCAP. The study sample consisted of 108 men (mean age, 54.7 ± 13.5 yr). Approximately one third (n = 33; 30.6%) presented with CCAP and this group was significantly older with greater odds of co-diagnosis of diabetes (P