Association of Nonarteritic Ischemic Optic Neuropathy With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Consequences for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening and Treatment

JAMA Ophthalmol. 2015 Jul;133(7):797-804. doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.0893.

Abstract

Importance: The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and its influence on second eye involvement is not well known.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of OSAS in patients with NAION and risk factors of second eye involvement.

Design, setting, and participants: In this cohort study, we examined 118 patients with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy referred to a tertiary care center from January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2010.

Exposures: Patients underwent polysomnography to detect OSAS and were prospectively followed up to assess the risk of second eye involvement.

Main outcomes and measures: The prevalence of OSAS in patients with NAION and the risk of second eye involvement using survival analysis based on the presence of OSAS, indication for ventilation treatment with continuous positive airway pressure, and other potential ocular and systemic confounders.

Results: In 89 patients with NAION who underwent polysomnography, 67 (75%) had OSAS. Second eye involvement was found in 10 (13.7%) of 73 patients at 3 years: 8 (15.4%) of 52 patients with OSAS at 3 years and 2 (9.5%) of 21 patients without OSAS at 3 years; P = .04. In multivariate analysis, nonadherence to ventilation treatment with continuous positive airway pressure in patients with severe OSAS increased the risk of second eye involvement (hazard ratio, 5.54; 95% CI, 1.13-27.11; P = .04).

Conclusions and relevance: These results suggest that OSAS is common in patients with NAION and that polysomnography should be considered in these patients. These findings also suggest that patients with severe OSAS who are nonadherent to ventilation treatment with continuous positive airway pressure have an increased risk of second eye involvement.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Cohort Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ophthalmoscopy / methods
  • Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / diagnosis*
  • Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / epidemiology*
  • Polysomnography / methods
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sex Distribution
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / diagnosis*
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / epidemiology*
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / therapy
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Survival Rate
  • Treatment Outcome