Self‐reported symptoms of sleep‐disordered breathing and risk of cardiovascular diseases: Observational and Mendelian randomization findings

Sleep‐disordered breathing may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, but observational findings are inconclusive. We investigated whether sleep‐disordered breathing‐related symptoms are associated with risk of several cardiovascular diseases using data from a cohort study and by performing Mendelian randomization analyses. The cohort study included 43,624 adults (56–94 years old) who completed questionnaires regarding symptoms of snoring and cessation of breathing, lifestyle habits and health characteristics. Participants were followed up for incident cardiovascular diseases and death over 8 years through linkage to the Swedish National Patient and Death Registers. The Mendelian randomization analyses were conducted using single‐nucleotide polymorphisms robustly associated with sleep apnea in a recent genome‐wide association study and summary‐level data for major cardiovascular diseases from large‐scale consortia. In the cohort study, an increased risk of atrial fibrillation was observed in participants who reported both snoring and cessation of breathing (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.16 [1.03–1.30]) compared with those without sleep‐disordered breathing symptoms. There was no association between sleep‐disordered breathing symptoms and risk of myocardial infarction, heart failure, aortic valve stenosis or abdominal aortic aneurysm in multivariable analyses. Mendelian randomization analyses showed no association of genetic liability to sleep apnea with myocardial infarction, heart failure or atrial fibrillation, but revealed a suggestive association with coronary artery disease (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.24 [1.02–1.52]).