According to HCP Live, a recent study suggests that patients with ankylosing spondylitis have a higher incidence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

A recent study suggests that patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have a higher incidence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) that increases with the severity of cervical vertebral involvement. A separate study published on the same day suggests that specific exercise regimens may be beneficial for patients with AS.The first study, published in Archives of Rheumatology, is among the first to look to try to quantify the prevalence of OSAS in patients with AS. Difficulty sleeping has a cyclical effect on many conditions, and also contributes to lower quality of life, stress, and learning difficulties, among others. OSAS is a formidable condition in its own right, as it is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and fatigue.

The study tested 42 patients (36 males, six females; mean age 39.4±9.1 years; range 23 to 63 years) with AS with an overnight polysomnography test and found that 13 patients (30.9%) had OSAS. In addition, there was a positive correlation between apnea hypopnea index and occiput- to-wall distance and neck circumference (r=0.355, p=0.021; r=0.413, p=0.007, respectively) whereas apnea hypopnea index and body mass index did not significantly correlate.