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Combined effect of obstructive sleep apnea and chronic smoking on cognitive impairment

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Abstract

Objectives

Little is known about combined effect of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and chronic smoking on cognitive impairment. We aimed to determine whether smoking synergizes with OSA in deteriorating cognitive function and whether smoking cessation contributes to cognitive benefits.

Methods

One hundred and eighteen male patients were enrolled in the study and asked to complete neurocognitive function tests including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), clock drawing test (CDT), and verbal fluency test (VFT). Variables of those neurocognitive function tests were analyzed with two factors: OSA and smoking.

Results

After adjustment of potential confounding factors, an OSA-by-smoking interaction was found in CDT-C scores and a main smoking effect were showed in MoCA scores. Smoking patients with OSA had the worst performance in the four tests compared with the other three groups (smoking patients without OSA, non-smoking patients with and without OSA). Ex-smokers with OSA tended to perform better than current smokers, but still worse than never-smokers with OSA in those tests.

Conclusion

The results suggested that the coexistence of OSA and chronic smoking resulted in more pronounced cognitive deficits than either factor along. Smoking cessation may benefit cognitive function to some extents in patients with OSA.

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Contributors

L.Y.N, Z.X.J, and L.Q.Y designed the study, made plans, and collected the data. L.Y.N, Z.L.N, and L.Q.Y finished the data analysis and interpretation. L.Y.N, Z.L.N, Z.X.J, L.Q.Y, W.Q, and X.H.J drafted and revised the article for important intellectual content. All authors approved the manuscript finally.

Conflict of interest

All authors acclaimed that they had no conflict of interest.

Funding

The study was supported by Pfizer China Tobacco Control Competitive Grant (No. WS766932).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China

    Ying Ni Lin, Li Na Zhou, Xiu Juan Zhang, Qing Yun Li, Qiong Wang & Hua Jun Xu

Authors
  1. Ying Ni Lin
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  2. Li Na Zhou
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  3. Xiu Juan Zhang
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  4. Qing Yun Li
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  5. Qiong Wang
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  6. Hua Jun Xu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qing Yun Li.

Additional information

Ying Ni Lin and Li Na Zhou are co-first authors.

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Cite this article

Lin, Y.N., Zhou, L.N., Zhang, X.J. et al. Combined effect of obstructive sleep apnea and chronic smoking on cognitive impairment. Sleep Breath 20, 51–59 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-015-1183-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-015-1183-1

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