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OTOLARYNGOLOGY / STATE OF THE ART PAPER
Obstructive sleep apnea and selected comorbidities – a literature review of cohort studies
1
Department of Otolaryngology, Doctoral School of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
2
Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine with Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Doctoral School of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
3
Doctoral School of the Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
4
Department of Otolaryngology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
5
Department of Otolaryngology, Sleep Surgery Center, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
Submission date: 2025-06-04
Final revision date: 2025-11-06
Acceptance date: 2025-12-02
Online publication date: 2026-02-15
Corresponding author
Urszula Karaszewska
Department of Otolaryngology Doctoral School of the Medical University of Bialystok Bialystok, Poland
Department of Otolaryngology Doctoral School of the Medical University of Bialystok Bialystok, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep-related breathing disorder, characterized by repeated episodes of upper airway collapse and resulting hypoxia during sleep. Intermittent hypoxemia may exert a multisystemic impact and modulate the course of comorbidities. Pathophysiological mechanisms such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction contribute to adverse health outcomes including cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular complications, metabolic disorders, cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, or behavioral abnormalities. Treatment of OSA may mitigate progression of comorbidities and reduce the associated social and economic burden. This literature review aims to explore the relationships between OSA and selected comorbid diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension, based on cohort studies in the literature.
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