Work

Diagnostic delay length and disease severity are the main predictors of sleep apnea in acromegaly patients

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Context: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects up to 80% of patients at diagnosis of acromegaly and often persists despite treatment. Currently, patients at risk for OSA are recommended to be identified to offer polygraphy evaluation. Purpose: To study the prevalence and risk factors for OSA in patients with acromegaly. Methods: Prospective, single-center study; polygraphy was performed on 36 patients with acromegaly (age 54.1 ± 12.9 years). Results: OSA was found in 17 patients (47.2%), mostly mild (64.7%). Patients with OSA were older both at diagnosis (p = 0.02) and at polygraphy (p = 0.008), had a longer diagnostic delay (p = 0.003) and higher BMI (p = 0.03). Patients with uncontrolled acromegaly exhibited a significantly higher number of apneas (p=0.02) and obstructive apneas (p=0.04) and had significantly lower minimum oxygen saturations (p=0.02) and a higher percentage of time spent with oxygen saturation <90% (p=0.03) as compared to those with full disease control. Diagnostic delay was the best predictor of apnea-ipopnea index (AHI, p=0.04) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI, p=0.04) scores, independently on BMI. Insulin resistance (p = 0.05), glucose profile impairment (p = 0.05) and STOP-Bang score (p=0.001), but not Epworth Sleepiness Scale score (p = 0.96), were significantly higher in patients with OSA as compared to those without. Conclusion: Diagnostic delay and patients' age, rather than disease status, appear to predict the development of OSA and influence its severity. These findings reinforce the importance of early identification of patients at higher risk for OSA.

Source: Frontiers in Endocrinology

DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2026.1928818