The relationship between sleep duration and arterial stiffness: A meta-analysis

Chronically short (9 h) sleep duration may increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk relative to the recommended sleep duration (7–9 h). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of short and long sleep duration on arterial stiffness, a marker of CVD risk, in adults. Eleven cross-sectional studies were reviewed with a total sample size of 100,050 participants (64.5% male). Weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated and pooled using random effects models, and standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated to determine effect size magnitude. Compared to the recommended sleep duration, both short (WMD = 20.6 cm/s, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 13.8–27.4 cm/s, SMD = 0.02) and long sleep duration (WMD = 33.6 cm/s, 95% CI: 20.0–47.2 cm/s, SMD = 0.79) were associated with higher (detrimental) pulse wave velocity (PWV). The associations between short sleep and higher PWV in adults with cardiometabolic disease, and long sleep and higher PWV in older adults, were also significant in sub-group analysis. These findings indicate short and long sleep duration may contribute to subclinical CVD. •Pulse wave velocity is an indicator of cardiovascular disease risk.•Both short (9 h) sleep duration were associated with higher pulse wave velocity relative to recommended sleep duration (7-9 h).•Cardiometabolic disease status and age were significant effect moderators for short sleep duration and long sleep duration, respectively.