Sleep Apnea may Increase Risk of Osteoporosis in Women

A recent study conducted by researchers from the Chi Mei Medical Center in Tainan, Taiwan, shows that sleep apnea could potentially increase the risk of osteoporosis in women and seniors.

"Ongoing sleep disruptions caused by obstructive sleep apnea can harm many of the body's systems, including the skeletal system," said one of the study's authors, Kai-Jen Tien, MD, of Chi Mei Medical Center in Tainan, Taiwan, via a press release. "When sleep apnea periodically deprives the body of oxygen, it can weaken bones and raise the risk of osteoporosis. The progressive condition can lead to bone fractures, increased medical costs, reduced quality of life and even death."

For the study, researchers examined records from Taiwan's single-payer National Health Insurance program to track treatment of 1,377 people who were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea between 2000 and 2008. During the course of the six-year study, researchers compared the rate of osteoporosis diagnosis in this group of obstructive sleep apnea patients to 20,655 people of comparable age and gender without the disorder.

Findings showed that the incidence of someone having osteoporosis was 2.7 times higher among patients with sleep apnea than their counterparts, even examining numerous factors, such as age, other medical issues, gender, geographic location and monthly income.

"As more and more people are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea worldwide, both patients and health care providers need to be aware of the heightened risk of developing other conditions," Tien said. "We need to pay more attention to the relationship between sleep apnea and bone health so we can identify strategies to prevent osteoporosis."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.