Central sleep apnea is associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke in the elderly
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 04/26/2012  Clinical Article

Munoz R et al. – Central sleep apnea (CSA) is the specific respiratory event associated with stroke in the elderly. Additionally, CSA could be a marker of silent brain ischemia, as a sign of disturbed regulation of central respiratory mechanisms, tentatively of ischemic origin.

• Fully overnight polysomnography was performed at baseline.
• Over the 6 year follow-up period, 20 ischemic strokes occurred.
• Differences in stroke-free survival between subjects according to central apnea index (CAI) were assessed.

• The authors just observed association with incident ischemic stroke on central sleep apnea (CSA) episodes.
• Obstructive sleep apnea, time passed under 90% oxygen saturation, or arousal index were not associated.
• The event-free survival was lowest in the highest CAI group.
• This association was independent of any other vascular risk factors.