open access

Vol 23, No 2 (2019)
Original paper
Published online: 2019-04-26
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Is self-reported insomnia a risk factor for subclinical carotid atherosclerosis?

Lyudmila Korostovtseva1, Asiiat Alieva2, Oxana Rotar2, Mikhail Bochkarev2, Maria Boyarinova2, Nadezhda Zvartau23, Yurii Sviryaev24, Aleksandra Konradi23, Eugene Shlyakhto2
·
Arterial Hypertension 2019;23(2):105-113.
Affiliations
  1. Almazov National Medical Research Centre, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
  2. Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Russian Federation
  3. ITMO University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
  4. Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry of RAS, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

open access

Vol 23, No 2 (2019)
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Published online: 2019-04-26

Abstract

Background. Insomnia is considered an additional cardiovascular (CV) risk factor (RF). However, the data on its
association with vascular damage is controversial. We analyzed the relation between self-reported insomnia and
carotid atherosclerosis in the population-based sample.

Material and methods. We selected 985 (males — 38%; mean age 45.2 ± 11.6 years) participants of the St Petersburg
population-based sample (the ESSE-RF study) who did not have previously known CV events. All subjects
underwent a structured interview (lifestyle, medical history). Insomnia was diagnosed when complaints occurred
≥ 3 times/week (the questions: “How often did you have difficulties in falling asleep for > 30 min after going to
bed in the last month?”, “How often did you have difficulties in falling asleep after midnight awakening in the last
month?”). Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT): normal ≤ 0.9 mm,
increased IMT 0.9–13 mm, IMT > 13 mm indicated an atherosclerotic plaque.

Results. In total, 209 subjects reported at least one insomnia complaint; 79 participants (8%) reported both sleeponset
and sleep-maintenance problems. IMT thickening was found in 142 subjects (14.4%). IMT values were higher
in those with frequent nocturnal awakenings vs. non-insomniacs (0.75 ± 0.18 vs. 0.71 ± 0.17 mm, p = 0.006). They
also showed greater prevalence of thickened IMT (χ2 = 4.6, p = 0.026). Mean IMT weakly correlated with insomnia
complaints (ρ = 0.10, p = 0.002), but the association was no longer significant after adjustment for age, BP and
total cholesterol level.

Conclusion. We demonstrated an association between insomnia complaints and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis,
although we assume it to be weak compared to the common CV RF.

Abstract

Background. Insomnia is considered an additional cardiovascular (CV) risk factor (RF). However, the data on its
association with vascular damage is controversial. We analyzed the relation between self-reported insomnia and
carotid atherosclerosis in the population-based sample.

Material and methods. We selected 985 (males — 38%; mean age 45.2 ± 11.6 years) participants of the St Petersburg
population-based sample (the ESSE-RF study) who did not have previously known CV events. All subjects
underwent a structured interview (lifestyle, medical history). Insomnia was diagnosed when complaints occurred
≥ 3 times/week (the questions: “How often did you have difficulties in falling asleep for > 30 min after going to
bed in the last month?”, “How often did you have difficulties in falling asleep after midnight awakening in the last
month?”). Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT): normal ≤ 0.9 mm,
increased IMT 0.9–13 mm, IMT > 13 mm indicated an atherosclerotic plaque.

Results. In total, 209 subjects reported at least one insomnia complaint; 79 participants (8%) reported both sleeponset
and sleep-maintenance problems. IMT thickening was found in 142 subjects (14.4%). IMT values were higher
in those with frequent nocturnal awakenings vs. non-insomniacs (0.75 ± 0.18 vs. 0.71 ± 0.17 mm, p = 0.006). They
also showed greater prevalence of thickened IMT (χ2 = 4.6, p = 0.026). Mean IMT weakly correlated with insomnia
complaints (ρ = 0.10, p = 0.002), but the association was no longer significant after adjustment for age, BP and
total cholesterol level.

Conclusion. We demonstrated an association between insomnia complaints and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis,
although we assume it to be weak compared to the common CV RF.

Get Citation

Keywords

insomnia; carotid atherosclerosis; subclinical atherosclerosis; cardiovascular risk factors; cardiovascular prevention

About this article
Title

Is self-reported insomnia a risk factor for subclinical carotid atherosclerosis?

Journal

Arterial Hypertension

Issue

Vol 23, No 2 (2019)

Article type

Original paper

Pages

105-113

Published online

2019-04-26

Page views

1274

Article views/downloads

723

DOI

10.5603/AH.a2019.0007

Bibliographic record

Arterial Hypertension 2019;23(2):105-113.

Keywords

insomnia
carotid atherosclerosis
subclinical atherosclerosis
cardiovascular risk factors
cardiovascular prevention

Authors

Lyudmila Korostovtseva
Asiiat Alieva
Oxana Rotar
Mikhail Bochkarev
Maria Boyarinova
Nadezhda Zvartau
Yurii Sviryaev
Aleksandra Konradi
Eugene Shlyakhto

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