OSA, anaemia show synergistic effect on hypertension

Anaemia and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) appear to have a combined impact on the incidence of hypertension, suggests a study.

Patients with OSA were more likely to have hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 1.254, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.099–1.432; p<0.001) than non-OSA individuals, following covariate adjustment in 6,949 eligible observers.

Notably, OSA and anaemia demonstrated a potential synergistic influence on the incidence of hypertension (OR, 1.705, 95 percent CI, 1.390–2.091; p<0.01), with a relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) of 0.371 and an attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) of 0.218.

Subgroup analysis revealed that this effect also existed in other races (AP, 0.48), nondrinkers (AP, 2.50), those graduating from high school or above (AP, 0.28), the unmarried (AP, 0.4), those without diabetes (AP, 0.24), and alcohol drinkers (AP, 0.41).

“Anaemia and OSA had a potential synergistic effect on hypertension,” the researchers said. “Their relationship needs to be further elucidated by [further studies].”

In this retrospective study, researchers obtained data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015–2018. They examined the above interaction using RERI, AP, and weighted logistic regression. A subgroup analysis by age, gender, race, diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, education, and marital status was also conducted to assess its impact.

“Anaemia, OSA, and hypertension are common social health problems. They are interconnected,” according to the researchers.