Calling for Action: The Need of Large-Scale Cohorts to Uncover the Cardiovascular Risk in Non-Sleepy Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Since randomized clinical trials currently do not support continuous positive airway pressure treatment of asymptomatic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) we proposed the Obesity, Symptoms, and CARdiovascular assessment (OSCAR) algorithm to aid clinicians in the management of asymptomatic low-risk moderate-severe OSA, focusing on weight loss, symptoms and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment. Exploiting the data of the Sleep Heart Health Study we selected subjects with a body mass index (BMI) < 30 Kg/m2, no history of CVD or sleepiness and compared 552 patients with moderate-severe OSA (OSCAR(-)) to 916 individuals without OSA (No-OSA). After adjusting for age, gender, and BMI, there was no significant difference in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) between OSCAR(-) and No-OSA (1.05; 95%CI 0.81–1.37). The study suggests that low-risk moderate-severe OSA patients may not have a greater risk of MACE compared to those without OSA and highlights the need for further research on this topic.