SynthesisBMC cardiovascular disorders2025
Obstructive sleep apnea and the risk of sudden cardiac death: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Review
- Modifiable lifestyle factors and sudden cardiac death: mechanisms, evidence, and prevention strategies.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Review
- Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on arrhythmic risk in ischemic heart disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: insights from a large national cohort.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but its role as a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between OSA and SCD and assess the influence of disease severity and treatment.
methodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted up to January 17, 2025. We included observational studies reporting the association between OSA and SCD. Data were pooled using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed based on apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and CPAP treatment. A separate meta-analysis examined adjusted odds ratios (aORs). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic, and publication bias was evaluated via funnel and Galbraith plots.
resultsTwelve studies (527,069 participants: 18,084 OSA, 508,985 non-OSA) were included. The pooled odds ratio for SCD in OSA patients was 1.41 (95% CI: 0.91-2.16; p = 0.12), with high heterogeneity (I² = 79.3%). Subgroup analysis showed increased risk in untreated OSA (OR = 3.87; 95% CI: 1.09-13.81; p = 0.04), but not in those receiving CPAP. Adjusted estimates showed no significant association (aOR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.17-1.98; p = 0.10), with high heterogeneity (I² = 95.9%). Sensitivity analyses indicated moderate result stability; however, potential publication bias was observed.
conclusionAvailable evidence is insufficient to establish a definitive association between OSA and SCD. Some subgroup analyses suggest an elevated risk in untreated OSA, but overall findings are heterogeneous and limited by study design.
trial registrationNot applicable.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.