Periodic legs movements in sleep persisting after positive airway pressure titration is significantly associated with cardiovascular diseases

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and periodic limb movement disorder in sleep (PLMS) are highly prevalent diseases of sleep and both are associated with a negative cardiovascular outcome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of PLMS in patients with OSAS in positive airway pressure (PAP) titration and examine its relation to cardiovascular diseases. Materials and Methods: All patients who were diagnosed as having OSAS after one-night polysomnographic (PSG) recording during a 1-year period and were been treated successfully through PAP titration PSG were investigated retrospectively. Results: Out of 460 medical files investigated, 300 patients were included in the study (204 males, 68%) with a mean age of 54.2 ± 10.6 years. A comparison between patients with a PLMS index >15/h and PLMS index <15/h revealed that cardiac diseases (P = 0.040), hypertension (HT) (P = 0.006), and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.019) were all more common if patients had a PLMS index >15/h. Furthermore, a significant correlation was detected between the PLMS index and cardiac diseases (ß = 39.908, P = 0.012) and HT (ß = 32.884, P = 0.021). Conclusions: The risk of cardiovascular diseases is markedly increased in patients with OSAS with PLMS, and this was positively correlated with the PLMS index. Physicians should be aware that PLMS persisting after PAP titration might prevent the efficiency of PAP therapy in OSAS, especially in preventing cardiovascular complications.