Sleep quality and the association between hypertension and carotid arterial wall thickness: Toon Health Study

Abstract

Background: Modification effect of sleep quality on the association between hypertension and carotid arterial wall thickness was investigated. Methods: Subjects was 1,965 men and women aged 30-79 who participated in the Toon Health Study in 2009-2012 with satisfactory information. Sleep quality was evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and defined ≥6 as deteriorated. Hypertension was blood pressure >140/90 mmHg. Carotid arterial wall thickness (CAWT) was maximum intima-media thickness ≥1.1mm in the common carotid artery. Logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) of CAWT for hypertension according to sleep quality. Covariates were age, body mass index, smoking, drinking, exercise, psychological stress and antihypertensive drug use. Findings and Discussion: The association between hypertension and CAWT was more evident for those who had deteriorated sleep quality in women. The respective multivariable ORs (95%CIs) were 1.47(1.00-2.18) and 2.41(1.41-4.10) for non-deteriorated and deteriorated in total (p for interaction=0.21), and 1.31(0.71-2.42) and 4.23(2.02-8.89), respectively, in women (p=0.05).