A single-center cross-sectional study conducted between January and December 2025 found a significant association between high obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in obese adults. The study included 279 participants, comprising 113 obese adults and 166 non-obese controls, with LVDD assessed using the 2016 ASE/EACVI echocardiography recommendations. LVDD was substantially more prevalent among obese participants than non-obese controls (43% vs 7%).
Within the obese subgroup, individuals with a high STOP-BANG score (≥3) exhibited greater epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness, elevated inflammatory burden reflected by neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and reduced heart rate variability, indicating autonomic impairment. Multivariable analyses showed that high OSA risk remained independently…
