Sleep-Disordered Breathing Is a Stronger Risk Factor for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy than Metabolic Syndrome and the Number of Its Individual Components.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the features of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are stronger independent factors for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) compared to the incidence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the number of its individual components.

METHODS: We studied a cross-sectional total of 132 patients with type 2 diabetes. Thirty-nine patients had non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and 93 patients had PDR. Pulse oximetry was conducted, and the patients' mean oxygen saturation (mean SpO2%) and 4% oxygen desaturation index (4% ODI times/hour) were evaluated. We compared the SDB and MetS variables between the NPDR and PDR patients. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent factors for the diagnosis of PDR.

RESULTS: The MetS diagnosis was made significantly more often in the PDR group (p = 0.04). The number of individual MetS components was significantly greater in the PDR group compared to the NPDR group (p = 0.01). The mean SpO2 of the NPDR group was not significantly different from that of the PDR group. The 4% ODI in the NPDR group was significantly lower than that in the PDR group (p = 0.01). The logistic regression analysis using the prevalence of MetS and the number of MetS components revealed that younger age and high 4%ODI value were independent factors contributing to the diagnosis of PDR.

CONCLUSION: Our findings confirmed that compared to MetS and the number of its individual components, SDB may be a factor contributing to the progression to PDR. However, further careful longitudinal validation studies are needed.