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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia risk, but its link with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is less clear. Researchers recently analyzed electronic health record data from 11 million U.S. veterans (median age, 60 years; 90% male) to determine whether OSA was associated with an increased risk of incident PD when compared with matched controls. Median follow-up was 5 years. Veterans who had PD within 6 months of OSA diagnosis were excluded from the analysis.
People who had OSA were at increased risk for PD, regardless of OSA severity (hazard ratio, 1.9). This risk was stronger among women than men.
Only about 10% of veterans with OSA used continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), but t…